Blame: Absol's Story
by ChishioShakun
Summary: She is an outcast with many secrets. Given the task of Guardian. Her disgust of humans keeps the mountain and all its inhabitants safe. She is the Black Absol cursed to be alone, but fate and a few others have a different idea. Please read AN.
1. The Black Absol

Warning: If you don't like Pokemon X Human pairings leave now. If you don't like Pokemon morphing into human form leave now. If you don't like first person stories, please leave now. If your cool with all that by all means stay and enjoy.

This is my first Pokemon fanfiction but not my first fanfiction, it has a partner story done by Kitsune Of The Night Sky. I recommend that if you enjoy this one to read it as it offers a slightly different point of view. KitsuneOfTheNightSky's version is entitled Blame the ranger's story.

This is rated M for good reasons, while criticism is appreciated ranting flames are not, thank you.

ps. also posted on Deviant Art, and soon on a third site.

_**Blame: Absol's Story**_

Chapter 1

The Pokémon world is vast. More of these great creatures are discovered every day, along with new abilities and ways they can help to make the lives of both humans and Pokémon better. The origins of these noble beings are as mysterious as they are themselves. Many have tried to find the beginnings of Pokémon but none have succeeded.

I am the black Absol, alien to my own kind, foreign to the land below me, displaced by human's fear of me. My coat is inky instead of pearly, dark instead of light. My blade and claws and tail are deeper than the blackest night. The jewel on my forehead is paler then the blue of a sunrise sky. My territory is larger than most of my kind since I'm the only one in this area. It covers many leagues and many other Pokémon inhabit it. I am their guardian. That was the condition given to me by the keepers of this region when I asked for a home after being chased from mine.

I stand upon the highest point of my territory, the peak of a mountain the humans have deemed cursed because of my presence, cursed for them yes. I tolerate no humans within my range. They are the cause of more disasters then the earth under my paws, they fear what they do not know and that is much. To think that Pokémon and humans used to be of the same spirit, disgusting.  
>I howl into the night's warm air, pushing off the rock with my hind legs and soar through the air, landing silently on another out cropping of rock and continue until I'm running through the forest. I love this feeling of freedom, the earth yielding to my paws, the trees just blurs as I fly past.<p>

I finally rest. The moon hangs brightly overhead, reflected off the lake below me. It's calm, for once. Celebi seems to have found something or someone to keep it entertained for the moment so I get a chance at peace. The others are elsewhere, sleeping I think. I can hear the calls of the Hoothoot from a few miles off, their chatter simple background noise at this point fading into the wind. Everything else is quiet.

I myself begin to drift off, lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze. It is rare for me to be this still as there is always some disaster rising up and disturbing the calm or Celebi wanting someone to play with. I close my eyes to the lake glinting below me as soft sapphires and sleep.

Like always my sleep is empty, there are no rich dreams to fill the dark hours of sleep, but I don't mind. I like the darkness. I'm comfortable here.  
>Somewhere in the blankness there is a brief flash or pulse of gold, a shimmer of white and movement of the blackness. It seems to move around me in a sort of running motion. Just as I get a focus on what it might be the gold and white give way to a cityscape in dark grays. It is not very clear but it seems as if a chase is happening. There was a Lucario glowing an intense blue against the gray, leaping over buildings following a smaller Pokémon, one I have never seen before. The Pokémon continued to change its form giving the Lucario a fair fight in keeping track of it. Following those two was a human as gray as the background but different somehow. Bile rose in my throat when it became apparent that the human was giving orders to the Lucario. I try to shut my eyes to the sight only to find them already closed. The scene disappeared as soon as I snapped my eyes open to find the nights forest before me. It was as calm and silent as it had been. Nothing seemed disturbed. Yet my heart raced in my chest and my blade ached softly with a dull throb.<br>I won't call what just happened a dream, for it was too much like a vision of a disaster to be such a ridiculous thing. I scanned the area with my red eyes, before closing them again. The need for sleep over powering my caution.

There is a flash of green in the corner of the darkness behind my eyes, an itch in my blade. Celebi is back but I don't stir, it's been a while since I've slept and he knows that. I'll probably wake to find him curled up at my side sleeping, peaceful, still, the only way I can truly tolerant him. Though knowing he is back I fall into a deep slumber, no disasters to disturb me.

There's a scent to the air I don't like. I think that's what woke me. As I predicted, Celebi is curled up next to me, snoring slightly. I bring the dew saturated morning air through my nose and snort in an attempt to get the smell from my nostrils. The winds changed and it's now coming up from the town at the roots of the mountain. The smell of humans makes me sick. Celebi stretches and yawns, his wide, tired eyes looking toward me.  
>"Humans aren't that bad you know." He said rising up a little from the ground to let me up. He twisted and turned in the air as I stood and stretched, shaking my fur out. I tilted my head toward him, making as he once said, an almost human looking gesture in making one of my eyes slightly wider, as if I had an eye brow.<p>

"Ok soooo most of them aren't that bad. There are a few mean ones, but I've had plenty of fun with some of them. Like the young one who's friends with the Pikachu."

"You've told me all about him and one human does not make up for the rest of them."

"Awww come on Tyth" Celebi exclaimed doing a summersault in the air, "your doom and gloom attitude about humans is getting a bit old isn't it?" he asked hanging in front of my face. I huffed at him through my nose and narrowed my eyes at him.

"My attitude I owe to the humans, if you have issues with it go bug Suicune, he's probably missing your company by now." I spat, not that I meant to in all honesty but the psychics belief in humans irritated me beyond anything else Celebi did. The psychics naive personality was amusing and all but sometimes it was an annoyance, mainly because he couldn't learn that humans weren't to be trusted.

Before he could respond a shiver went through my blade bringing with it a black and white vision of a Dusknoir smashing through the trees, a human and a Steelix not far behind it. The fur along my back rose and bristled. I barely felt my paws connect with ground before I had trees wiping by me. The human would pay dearly this time; I had enough of him invading my territory.

Another thing I don't like about humans is that they don't learn. Take this human as an example. For years he has been attempting to get to the mountain, and for years he has failed, whether through me stopping him or the other pokemon in the forest stopping him. As retaliation he attacks the wild pokemon in the town or other humans. He is not alone among the humans down there and they all can't seem to learn. They can't seem to learn that this mountain is now mine and it's flourishing because they are no longer allowed with in its boarders.  
>I slow when I can hear the human and his two pokemon moving, destroying as much as they possibly could. I can tell they haven't met any opposition yet by his boasting and his pokemon's arrogant agreements. They come into view just as I slip into the shadows of the denser trees. The human was close to the size of his Dusknoir but his face reminded me of a sick Garbodor trying to look happy and his stench was just as bad. A silent snarl escapes from my muzzle as the human shouts "Shadow ball now Dusknoir!"<p>

At first I think that the human had spotted me until the Dusknoir launches his attack toward the trees in front of it, then I see it, a single Burmy trembling in pure terror and unable to get away. Instincts and rage take over as I bolt from my spot among the trees to just in front of the tree housing the Burmy. Before my paws are even firm on the ground I strike at the incoming shadow ball with a night slash that glides smoothly from my blade cutting the orb clean in half. This causes two small explosions to either side of the Dusknoir. Behind me a Mothim collects the Burmy, who has passed out, from fright or relief, I can't tell. In front of me the human claps and begins walking forward an amused and gleeful look on his awful face.

"You are as predictable as the day is, demon. One just has to attack one of the more pathetic excuses for a pokemon in this forest and you come running," he boasted acting as though he were the one in charge. A snarl ripped its way from my lips. Arrogant human. "Steelix, Dusknoir. " The large steel type moved forward as the Dusknoir moved back. And he said I was too predictable.

"Iron Tail!" The Steelix lunged forward bringing its massive tail down toward me. I leaped out of the way running up the steel types body the moment its tail hit the ground in a spray of dirt and rocks which obscured my movement. The human called out the attack again, possibly thinking the first had connected but the Steelix didn't have a chance to follow the humans order. When I reached the steel types head I leaped off twisting in the air so I was upside down and facing the large metal body, a water pulse forming just in front of my muzzle. When I'm again level with its head, I let my attack go which slams in the Steelix's face just as it is about to perform another iron tail. I twist again to land upright, my claws gouging out grooves in the earth to stop me from skidding. The ball of water sends the steel type staggering back, then the pulse hits and it lifts off the ground ever so slightly landing behind his trainer.

"How dare you!" The human yells at me waving his fist in anger. I hardened my glare and prepared for his next move which I assumed is going to be a brash and un-thought out command.

"Dusknoir Nightshade!" Oh look I was right. The ghost pokemon obeyed immediately. I simply side step the attack and use night slash again.  
>My attack hits sending the Dusknoir sliding back, but it gets back up and looks pissed off. I can see that it wishes to say something to me but is interrupted by its trainer yelling "Will-o-wisp!" I charge toward the ghost pokemon as it launches the attack, which I easily dodge and sink my teeth into its arm using crunch.<p>

The Dusknoir reacts violently to my bite, wildly swinging its arm around in an attempt to get me off. My teeth just sink in deeper. I use my momentum to slam the ghost type into its trainer and then into the Steelix as it vainly struggled to get up. I let go in the middle of another swing of its arm, throwing it off balance, which opened the mouth on its stomach. Taking the opportunity I charged a dark pulse and sent it flying.

An incredible screech filled the air as my attack hit the Dusknoir's opened stomach and was briefly engulfed by the dark aura. I stood, regained my breath and watched as the humans face filled with pure horror. The dark aura dissipated leaving the Dusknoir unconscious on the ground. Just to prove to the human my point, I use dream eater on the downed pokemon, causing it to give another screech before falling completely immobile.

I then turned my attention to the human. I snarl while I advance toward him. The strong pungent smell of urine fills the air as the human backs up recalling his pokemon. I leap and land on his back just as he turns to run. I press my claws into his back, hard enough to cause pain but not to draw blood. Truthfully I want to rid the forest of him forever and as he whimpers pathetically under me the thought to do so flashes through my mind, but I don't have permission to kill, so I just growl and snarl and dig my claws into the flesh under the material that covers his body until he passes out.  
>As I step off his back two Ursarings, mates by the look of it, walk up from out of the trees.<p>

"Are you injured Guardian?" The slightly smaller of the two asked in a low voice looking from me to the knocked out human.

"I am well. Thank you for your concern." I replied with a slight bow of my head.

"We will get this one out of here for you Guardian" The other said rubbing its paws together, "Least we could do, that Burmy is a good friend." I nod again in thanks and take my leave confident that the two would see that task got done and whatever happened to the human after I left was none of my concern. It is my opinion that everyone is entitled to a bit of revenge when wronged.

I follow the path of damage, checking to make sure no pokemon were harmed in the humans stupid rampage. When I only find damaged saplings and elder trees swarming with grass pokemon I head off on my daily run about the mountain, getting many "morning Guardian" and "greetings Guardian" on my way past those healing what the human had done.

The mountain was alive this morning. New growth on the plants unfurling for the first time to meet the sun and the sense of youth in the air made my dark mood past quickly as I checked the boarders of my land. Late spring was one of the best times on the mountain for me. The melting snow brought life to the land below the peak of the mountain and life flourished. This was one of the rare times of the year that disasters were minimum. The threat of the blizzards and avalanches of winter was no longer prominent and the floods and fires of summer were long in coming, spring had only rock slides and most of those were stopped or controlled by the rock and steel pokemon that lived in the tunnels that hollowed the majestic mountain.

I greeted the pokemon I saw with a nod, stopping a few times to be introduced to new additions to the forest. I personally can't see myself having pups of my own but the young that are born each year in my territory are another reason I enjoy this season. Everything is as it should be when I complete my circle arriving back to where the human had cut through the trees. Except for the faint stench the human left behind everything was calm and healed.  
>Feeling better and confident that things were in there place I make my way back to the lake, surprised the hyper psychic hadn't joined me on my run, that is until I get back to the clearing to find Celebi giggling with a strange pokemon. Neither of them notice as I silently make my way up to them. I stop just out of Celebi's range, listening to what the strange pokemon was saying, which had the psychic laughing so hard he was hanging upside down holding his sides.<p>

"…Then I morph into a Pidgey and hide in a small nest of other Pidgey. At first they didn't seem to want me there but I told them I was playing hide and seek with my daddy and they let me stay." The small pokemon paused to draw in a deep breath before continuing in the same excitedly rushed tone it had been going on. " Then the human appears over the side of the roof top and I move to the back of the nest hoping he doesn't see me. He again takes out this weird looking metal thing and points it at the nest. I have no clue what it does but I think it is like the balls people are always putting us in. Anyway just as he says "cawper" the Pidgey's mommy and daddy come flying in and attack him." Another breath, "It was so much fun when they picked up the nest and flew away. I thought I lost the human for good, but I didn't, he followed on the big flying pokemon that worked with him. That's were you came in with the Wailord. You know the rest." the pokemon finished wagging his black and red fluffy tail.

I snort to let them both know I was there before walking the few feet up to where they were by the water. The strange pokemon jumps out of fright while Celebi jumps me in a surprise hug around the neck.

"Your back, and just in time too." The little guy said pulling away and flying over to the stranger and pushing him forward. "Tyth, this is Zorua, Zorua this is Tyth the Absol who is Guardian of this forest." I appraise the smaller pokemon before me. He is shaking though whether out of fright or excitement I cannot tell, his scent too clouded with human to be accurate. He bows and as he does so the fur on top of his head touches the ground at my feet.

"It's… a …pleasure to meet you … Guardian." His voice was soft and unsure like that of a shy child's, which I was pretty sure he was. Though the tone still held the excitement and hyperness that his voice had as he had been talking with Celebi.

"I'm sure." I bow as well out of habit. My eyes however look to the Psychic for an explanation as I was getting the distinct feeling that this pokemon was going to cause more problems then any other person I had ever met.

Celebi just shrugged cutely and smiled. I hated that smile. For any body else it would have been cute and happy, but I had known the legendary too long, far too long. That smile was mischief incarnate and when I added that smile to the fact I knew this new pokemon was going to be a pain in my tail I had to groan. Things weren't going to end well for me.

"So what brings you here, Zorua?" I asked sitting down in an attempt to get comfortable and humor Celebi. It took the fox pokemon a few minutes to decide were to begin and he began at the beginning.

The small pokemon's tale ended a little while later and reaffirmed my thoughts about humans. He had been hurt by the people who gave him a home and then chased by another relentlessly for weeks. The reason this human followed him he didn't know but the human and the human's pokemon scared him.

"And then Celebi here brought me to this forest and said I would be safe." The Zorua finished, scratching at something blue tied around his neck, grinning.

"And so you will be, your welcome to stay. Granted you don't cause to many problems." I said as I nudged at him with my nose, knowing that with Celebi's help he was going to be a pain in my tail. After I welcomed him into the forest, Celebi tackle hugged him and the two were off running and playing around the lake. At least the psychic wasn't going to be up in my fur for a while at least.

I stood and stretched, shaking out my dark fur. I watched Celebi and Zorua for a few minutes before walking off, my stomach speaking loudly to me, angry that I had fought without eating.

I passed by many berry bushes whose fruit was just coming to bear and a few that hung heavily with the burden of their berries yet I continued on. Truth be told I don't like many of the berries that the other pokemon eat, and will only touch them if I need the energy or strength boost. It is just another part of my curse that I hate living with, like my coloring or the fact I know pokemon and humans were once the same. I shake my head. It is no use thinking of things that can't be changed.

A scent catches my attention, making my mouth water and stomach growl at me even louder. I follow the scent until I arrive at a decayed human building. The forest had long since taken over but I was still wary as I skirted along the side of it until I was at the back of the house. And there was my prize hanging from vines that climbed the back side of the dead building. Humans call them kiwis I think; they are little fur covered fruits and sadly one of my favorite foods.  
>I cut a few off the vines with a swipe of my paw and put them in a small pile. I then glare at the fur covering the fruit, debating on whether I wanted to hassle with trying to get the stuff off or just eat them as is. My hunger won out. I bit into the first one, sighing as the taste exploded in my mouth, the bittersweet juice running down my chin, which I promptly licked off.<p>

I nudged the third and last one, when a painful shiver passed through my blade, bringing with it a vision that caused my head to ache. Colored black and white was a human entering the forest. I could see in the cloth he wore over some other cloth, five poke-balls and on his wrist a metal object that reminded me of what the Zorua had described about the human who was chasing him. Another memory resurfaced as I looked harder at the human. I had seen him before, though he wasn't from the town, he was from another vision I was sure of it. The vision morphed and the forest was being consumed by a white fire. I could just make out the human running, and it appeared he had pokemon in his arms. I growled, the last fruit forgotten, as the vision passed.

I took off toward the mountain, easily scaling the rocky outcroppings as I got closer to the cliff I needed. Once my claws tapped against the solid stone of my cliff I stopped and called out a warning over and over using echoed voice to alert the forest that a threat was coming. A few sort minutes later I could hear the cacophony of replies back and some relief came. I didn't call on the other pokemon in the forest to help me often but when I did, they all did their best. It was their home after all. I added, after the other calls died down, that there maybe a fire later that day. Again replies filled the air. Satisfied things would be handled I took off, leaping down the mountain. I headed to the area the human had entered the forest in the vision.

About an hour later I caught the whiff of a human, one that was foreign to my memory. I followed it to a group of arguing grass types. The scent was stronger here then it had been. As I approached the group went silent until an older Vilplume, who had a very young Oddish on her head bowed a little toward me and spoke.

"There was a human male here Guardian. We are sorry we could not keep him here, but…" she paused a moment and the Oddish on her head spoke up.

"He got me down from the tree the mean Spearrows put me in and put me right on the ground, yep, yep, right on the ground and nothing else. I asked them not to hurt him. Sorry if that was wrong Guardian." the Oddish's leave drooped a little and the other grass types looked at each other nervously, but I smile and nudge the Oddish with my nose, careful not to get my blade near her.

"It is ok little one, I can see why you didn't want him hurt. Just remember not all humans will try and help you ok?" I feel the others give sighs of relief and I watched the young one nod. And I spoke the truth to the Oddish, it was ok because the safety of the ones living in this forest was a greater priority then my hatred of humans. " Which way did he go?" two Bellossom pointed off to the right. I jump over the Vileplume and Oddish after bowing to them and continue the search. The human couldn't be too far.

I felt the first streak of lightening before it crossed the sky and felt burdened by the building storm as the sky darkened. I had to find the human. Once the rains started I would lose the trail. My nose regrettably is not as strong as an Arcanines' or Houndooms'.

Another scent mixed with the humans which caused me to halt, the Zoruas'. I cursed just as the ground and sky trembled with the crashing sound of lightening striking the earth. My paws barely met the ground as I dashed through the trees following the scent trail. I could tell the Zorua was running from the human as his scent would get strong and then fade along the human's path. I hoped that I would catch up to them before the human had a chance to harm the newest pokemon to the forest.

I heard a shout ahead of me and slowed as I came up from behind the human. I could see the Zorua had stopped and was looking toward the man. I crouched in preparation of attacking the human but then he spoke and I held my action.

"When I started this little chase I thought you were doing it for kicks…now, I don't think so… mind telling me what's…huh?" the human looked down to see a small group of Pichu run by him. More pokemon fled from what I had already known about and what the human was just now realizing. A fire.

"Arceus be damned!" the human cursed pulling out the metal object and putting it an his wrist. I growled thinking he was going to attack the Zorua and got ready to pounce him again when he screamed, "GO! Get out of here!" before he ran in the direction of the fire.

The Zorua wasn't the only one confused as the human ran off. I was as well. Humans have a poor survival instinct, but I've never seen one just run into a forest fire with the exception of when one of there own was in danger. I however couldn't dwell on the fact as the thick choking smell of smoke was on the wind.

I dash and grab the small pokemon by the back of his neck tossing him onto my back. His claws dig in to my fur do to my speed but I ignore the slight pain.

"We need to get you some place safe, Zorua." I comment running parallel to where the fire was raging.

"No I can help, you gave me a home I want to help defend it." the words shocked me but also gave me a curtain joy, the same joy I felt when I was tasked with keeping this forest safe.

"Ok but you stay on my back or close to me at all times and listen to my directions got it?" I asked in a tone stern. I hear a "yeah" as I change direction and head toward the fire.

For once I was glade my fur was black because it was easier to hide the thick layer of soot that covered my coat from Celebi as I took the injured to him. It had been several hours since the fire had started, by a lightening strike as I had been informed by a Noctowl that was assisting Celebi in healing the pokemon, and not by the human, which is what my original assumption was. I had yet to set eyes on the human but several of the pokemon, the Zorua and myself had picked up, spoke of him rescuing pokemon and using his own to help fight the fire. I just wanted him out of the forest.

I could feel the clouds above me strain against the water within their hands as I made another round in the fire after soaking Zorua and myself with a water pulse. Soon the flames would be doused and work would begin on healing the damage.

I'm just about to head back sure that there are no others within the hungry flames when the Zorua shouts out causing me to halt.

"What was it?" I asked scanning the area as I hear trees falling around us.

"The human I just seen him, he looks really banged up and I think he had pokemon in his arms." come the reply. I growled and set off in the direction that the fox pointed me in.

A shiver when through my blade and I saw the human being crushed by a tree consumed in white fire after throwing the pokemon he had in his arms away from him. I ground my teeth together and raced forward, I hated helping humans.

The humans form appeared black in the flames and I could see him narrowly missing trees in his escape from the fire, when I caught up to him. He stumbled and I shot forward, the crest of my head hitting him in the side knocking him out of the way. I quickly change direction, getting slight burns to the pads of my paws and singeing my fur in the process. The human jerked around and started at me for several moments before letting the pokemon in his arms go when he realized we were out of the fire. I glared at him, letting him know of my displeasure at him being there. He was covered in burns and scrapes and other injuries and clearly was on the verge of collapse. He uttered, "go get out of here" to the pokemon he let go as he stood back up. I continued to glare.

"Thank you, I don't know what would of happened to them if you hadn't pushed us out of the way." the human said with a short stiff bow and wince of pain. I snorted under my breath. They would have been fine but you would have been dead, I thought to myself. The human then started back toward the fire. He couldn't be serious. I jumped in front of him, raising my lip in a silent snarl. He jumped a bit before lifting his hands in a gesture of peace. He tried to move around me again and again I jumped in front of him. This happened a few more times until I got fed up with his stupidity and frankly his stench was making me sick, I bared my teeth in a snarl that quickly became a growl. He finally halted.

"Please, I just want to continue what I was doing. Which is getting the pokemon to safety and this fire contained." he looked up to the sky, then back at me,"If this is your territory I'll leave when this is done. Though I still need to talk to you." the last part was directed at the Zorua on my back. This human was so stupid, couldn't he feel the rise in humidity, the clouds were at their maximum and would burst in the next few minutes. That and there was no way he was getting any closer to the pokemon on my back then he was at that moment.

I crouch falling it to my fighting stance glaring at the human, half tempted to just tell him to leave, but human speech was hard to control in this form and there was no way I was going to let this human know I could speak to him. That was a can of worms I did not need.

The human fell into his own battle stance pointing his arm at me, and a thus a metal contraption that sat on his wrist. Zorua on my back tensed and I readied myself, but this was a battle not to be. The moment he had started to move a shiver went through my blade. My head snapped to the side as I watched a mudslide consume several nests just outside the burn zone. I left the human behind looking confused.

The rains that freed themselves from the clouds, not to long after I left the human, quenched the fire and covered the mountain is a veil of stream. It was early for a fire this large on the mountain but I didn't complain, having the fire now reduced the damage later fires would do. The only problem now would be mudslides and cave-in's of the tunnels that the humans ran through the mountain.

After making sure the nests were out of the danger zone I wander my way back to where I left the human after dropping Zorua with Celebi, enjoying the rain through my fur, washing out the soot. On the way I was making sure no one coming back into the forest needed my help. When I got back to the humans location, he was surrounded by several pokemon same of which were shielding him from the rain and others that were cleaning his wounds. I moved forward and noticed that the human was unconscious on the ground. As I moved closer several pokemon looked up and acknowledged my presence before going back to what they were doing. I sat and watched for a few minutes. The Leavanny that was weaving a cloth to cover the human with made her way over to me and gave a curt bow.

"Guardian" she started looking toward the human before back at me, " we are not going to let you take him out of the forest until he can leave on his own. We respect your rules, but.."

"He saved you, I know." I interrupted, my gaze moving from the Leavanny to the others and finally to the human, "Because of that he may stay only as long as it takes him to recover enough to leave, no longer." The Leavanny nodded as the others gave a cheer. As the Leavanny was turning to go back to the human, the cloth to cover him nearly finished, an Eevee ran up and nuzzled my foreleg saying "thank you" over and over again. I recognized him as one of the pokemon the human had had in his arms when I pushed him out of the way of the tree. I just nod and pat him on the head with my other paw.  
>I left soon after, checking on the rest of the burn area before the rains let up. I felt uneasy about leaving the human in the forest, but I did not command the pokemon of the mountain only protected them. The rest of the area was peaceful. Pokemon were moving back into the area to see what needed to be fixed and healed, though it would be a while, a few years at least before this area was back to normal.<p>

When I got back to the lake the rains had subsided and Celebi and Zorua where curled around each other sleeping soundly on the rock over looking the water. I joined them curling around them and settling down to sleep, exhausted from the long day.

It took three days for the human to wake up. Three days of the pokemon taking care of him. Three days of me trying not to drag his unconscious ass out of the forest. This task was made no better by Celebi who, being the friendly sort he was, decided to help out the pokemon caring for the human by bringing them berries and water, joking with them and making sure I didn't leave for more then a few hours. How this helped the grass, bug and normal types I will never know, as to me my presence just made all of them really jumpy. The Zorua came and went but seemed to enjoy exploring the forest more then sitting around doing nothing, which is basically what Celebi had me doing.

About mid afternoon on the third day he stirred which caused everyone to pause and hold their breath. As he started to open his eyes one of the Bellosom fetched a leaf full of water and the others stepped in closer. I snorted watching the scene; they were all acting like they were watching an egg hatch. A human was nothing special. They were as common as Ratattata, if not more so outside the forest. Though I couldn't get mad at those tending to him. They were young and hadn't seen this mountain when humans controlled it. I leaped off the branch I had perched on when the human started to get up, and blended in to the trees. He had seen me once and that was all I was going to allow him, unless of course he didn't leave.

The only thing I was thankful for at that moment was that Celebi had the intelligence enough to leave before the human started to awake up. Though I think he was planning something because it looked like he had taken something from the human.

I looped around as the human rolled up the blanket the Leavanny had weaved for him catching the last bit of his monolog.

"Anyways I'm Enishi nice to meet all of you." He looked around a bit at the answering calls before continuing. "Hey guys I just wanted to say that I don't know exactly why all the pokemon here are so aggressive, but I will not harm this forest nor those in it. I'll take the aggression as you guys defending yourselves. However, I am still a ranger and if I hear of any attacks outside the forest I will have to came back and stop you. Understand?" he explained to and asked the pokemon standing around him. A chorus of "yeah's" and "yes's" followed. I snorted again. Was he really serious, a ranger? The town had asked several rangers to the mountain when I first showed up and they didn't change a thing.

After he said his thanks and goodbyes to the pokemon he set off again back into the forest. I followed keeping him in sight but out of his range. He wasn't leaving so I had every right to force him out, but for some reason I found myself content on trailing him through the forest.

A little while later the human rejoined his pokemon who were all sickeningly happy to see him. A Furret, a Flygon, and an Aron tackled him to the ground when they set eyes on him. The lucario, and Croagunk stood back and watched the pile up. When the pokemon released the human I snickered with some satisfaction as it appeared that the Aron had broken at least one of the mans ribs. He returned all but the Furret and Lucario to their poke balls. I shivered watching that. How could someone willing let themselves be cooped up in one of those things. It is beyond my understanding.

When I focused on the human again he was being viciously scolded by the Furret for his actions. To bad humans don't understand our speech, that conversation would have been interesting to watch. Several minutes of this pass ending with the human apologizing to the chastising Furret. Seeming content with that the normal type wrapped itself round his neck, which caused me to pause a moment. A normal Furret was easily as tall as a human male and weighed about the same, yet this human could support the Furret like it was no problem even with his injuries. This human was starting to puzzle me.  
>The winds changed and I caught Zorua's scent coming from the direction we were heading in. I fought the urge to take the human out right there. I however wasn't in the mood to deal with two fighting types. So I followed, readying myself to defend the little guy if the situation came to blows.<p>

I took to the trees as we entered the oldest part of the forest as the branches could carry my weight with out much noise. I knew that the Lucario had sensed me, though what reason he had for not telling his human I could not grasp. He did however alert the Furret who then kept a close watch as they walked. When they reached Zorua, who was curled up sleeping, both pokemon tensed for a battle. The human however held up a hand and called for them to stand down. When he received confused looks he explained.

"I gave my word to the pokemon that helped me recover that I wouldn't do harm to anything here." both his partners nodded.  
>The humans voice had woken Zorua who was up and backing up scared, prepared to run. When the human noticed this his face softened. I moved closer wondering if I was faster then the two with the human.<p>

"Peace little one, I just want to finish want we started before the fire." Zorua backed up several steps but the human remained were he was hands raised in an attempt to say he meant no harm as he sat down. What a joke. "I just want to know why you so desperately tried to escape from me." his voice was soft, very non-threatening. I tensed waiting for the human to move in a way I thought was threatening, anyway at all.

The Zorua's eyes glowed for a second before images appeared between him and the human, relaying the story he had already shared with me. The humans eyes clouded over with something that I could not recognize.

"I'll be damned, so that's why." he faintly said in utter surprise. The images faded and the Zorua gazed at the human with fear.  
>The human slowly stood, moving forward and the small pokemon backed up. I bared my teeth preparing to jump. It was a human trick to act kind to get close to a pokemon, only to turn around and hurt it.<p>

"Trust me, please" the human begged kneeling down as the Zorua back himself against a tree. I was right above them, so tense I made no movement.  
>The humans hands wrapped around the small pokemon's neck. I moved to jump and barely caught myself when the human pulled back a light blue rope in his hand. The Zorua looked between it and the human bewildered. I mimicked the movement from my branch. The human stepped back and fiddled with the device on his wrist.<p>

"Command come in." he paused. I looked at him confused.

"Command here. Did you find the target." Come the crackled sound of another's voice from the device, I stared.

"Yes I did," he looked at the Zorua who shook in fear, "but he has moved on."

"What?" came the voice again.

"The target is dead, he perished in a forest fire in the area I'm in now." the human responded gripping the collar. My jaw almost hit the branch I was perched on. The Zorua just stared in shock.

"Do you have proof?"

"I have the little guys collar."

"And the body?"

"I just finished burying it

"I see, mission complete, go home you deserve the rest. I'll inform the family about this." the device clicked and he lowered his arm.

"Glad that is done" he said after putting the collar into a pocket of the other cloth he wore. He turned to the Zorua, "Your free, take care now." the human said in a soft tone before turning and walking away. The Zorua stared after them confused.  
>I jumped down sitting next to the small pokemon. The Lucario stopped and turned back for a brief moment. I shot him a glare that said 'get your human out of my forest'; it quickly caught up to the human.<p>

"Tyth, what just happened?" the Zorua asked gazing up at me.

"The human for whatever reason decided to stop hunting you and made it so no one else would come looking for you." I simple stated, not understanding the whole thing myself.

That night I watched Celebi and Zorua sleep. I should have been at ease now that the human was no longer in the forest. I had watched the Flygon fly over the peaks with the human on his back, but I just couldn't shake him. He was like an itch in my blade that never gave me a vision and it was starting to annoy me. Why had he helped during the fire? Why had he let Zorau be? Going as far as lying to his device to make sure no one else followed the small pokemon. Why? Whys filled my head, whys I could not answer. So gazing one last time at the two sleeping pains in my tail, I leap on to the rock over hanging the lake then head off into the trees hoping to ran these stupid whys out of my head.

**Chapter End**

Thank you for reading. Again if you liked this please read Kitsune of the night sky's version. It can be found here http:/ / www. fanfictin .net/ u/ 2008103/ kitsune_of_the_night_sky on his profile, just remove the spaces.**  
><strong>


	2. Playing Delibird

Warning: If you don't like Pokemon X Human pairings leave now. If you don't like Pokemon morphing into human form leave now. If you don't like first person stories, please leave now. If your cool with all that by all means stay and enjoy.

I recommend that if you enjoy this one to read its partner it as it offers a slightly different point of view. KitsuneOfTheNightSky's version is entitled Blame: The Ranger's Story.

This is rated M for good reasons, while criticism is appreciated, ranting flames are not, thank you.

ps. also posted on Deviant Art, and a third site.

I hope you enjoy this chapter, and sorry for the delay.

_**Blame: Absol's Story**_

Chapter 2

"No" I said again, my red eyes narrowed at the two in front of me. Celebi and Zorua stood next to each other in front of me, both pulling off their best puppy dog look which to their annoyance it wasn't working.

"But why Tyth?" Celebi asked in his whiniest voice. It made my ears hurt.

"Because I'm not going to leave to travel Arceus knows how long to give a stupid human back a piece of metal he dropped, and that is final." I close my eyes in preparation of the headache I was going to get listening to the two of them plead.

Apparently Celebi had taken something from the human when he was unconscious and is now claiming the human had dropped the small silver object while looking for the Zorua.

"You're the only one that can do it though Tyth, and what if it's important to him huh?" the Zorua piped up seeing that Celebi's arguments were getting nowhere.

"So what if it is, he should learn to keep important things where mischievous psychic's can't find them." I shoot a glare at the floating annoyance next to Zorua.

"He helped a lot of pokemon during the fire, doesn't that mean we should pay him back by returning it?" the dark type continued.

I twitched and sighed. The fox had a small point with that one. The human had helped many and begrudgingly if he hadn't been there lives would have been lost. I see the look the dark type shoots the psychic and mentally groan. When had I become unpracticed in seeming emotionless in cases like this? Not even a decade ago Celebi couldn't get me to bend in my opinions and now not only can the psychic do it but a pokemon I've known less then a week can read me and effectively plot against me. I really need to work on that.

"Yes he helped out, but I think I did my part when I let him stay here while he was healing. That and I don't know how far he is from here. The human left almost two days ago." With the grin I got from Celebi I knew I had said something that sealed my fate.

"Well about that Tyth…" Celebi chuckled nervously, "I kind of know the general area were he lives, and its only a few leagues over the mountains." I got the underlying message, because with the humans injuries he wouldn't leave his den for a while. I twitch again.

"It's still no." I say in a flat tone trying to leave no room for argument. But apparently there was room to move and Celebi looked down right determined.

"Fine then I will take it back to him myself, it will be quicker for me to do it anyway." The psychic huffed picking up the metal object.

Zorua stared and I growled, quickly nipping the disk like object away. Celebi first looked startled and then he smirked knowing he had won.

"Note I'm only doing this because I don't trust any human enough to let you get involved with one while I'm around." I growled out around the metal object in my mouth, cursing the psychic out in my head.

Celebi gave a clap of joy, "I'm glad you see it my way, now let me help with that." He took the disk from my mouth and in a few seconds had created a small net bag and rope of vines so that it could hang around my neck. While better then carrying the filthy tasting thing is my mouth the whole way, I was still greatly annoyed.

"You owe me." I muttered darkly under my breath walking past the awestruck dark type and the very amused psychic.

As I got a far distance away I heard a faint, "take care now", from Celebi and a, "have fun" from Zorua. I snort in annoyance. Yeah right. Me having fun taking a worthless human back his worthless piece of metal. Laughable. It was going to be as fun as helping one of the Swalot out of a sink hole.

After Celebi had said that the human lived a few leagues behind the mountains I had a vague idea of where. My territory ended at the very roots of the mountains going west, and just outside my territory was old forest thick and untouched by humans, or at least I thought so until now. They probably have dozens of towns littered through out the area and finding the one were the male lived wasn't going to be fun.

About midday I made it to the border of my territory. The air on this side of the mountains was crisp and clear and clean, but vaguely unfamiliar. I didn't come this way often because no threats to the pokemon I watched over had come from this direction. In fact many pokemon under my watch traveled back and forth this way during the changing of the seasons. I skirt along the border until I come to a stream leading from the mountains. I stop at the invisible border. Drinking from the cool waters thinking.

The only time I had been through this area of forest, the area I was about to enter, had been about fifty human years ago, with Arceus' instructions still clear in my head.

"If you seek a true home, young one, go to the mountain that the humans call Aggron's keep. There you will find a dieing landscape. Do what needs to be done to bring back the life flow and it will be yours. Guard it well, young one, be its protector." these had been the words that brought me here, when I had been so close to death, and these were the words that had given me a purpose to live.

I shake my head of the memory and debate just leaving the humans disk right where I stood, then sigh. I had never broken a promise and my pride wouldn't let me start now. After taking another drink I follow the rive bank at a slow trot, passing into unfamiliar territory.

I tilted my head to another unusual sound having slowed to a cautious walk after the trees had thickened around the river. The canopy of leaves over head swayed to a wind that the ground could not feel do to the thickness of the foliage. Even over the river the trees bent to create a tunnel of branches and leaves. All around me was in soft shadows and draped with a muted silence. I could hear pokemon moving around in the branches and in some of the undergrowth farther into the forest from the river, but all the sounds seemed strained as if the creators of the sounds were trying their hardest not to make them. I chuckled a little. Happy to know that the pokemon under my watch were better at escaping detection. Though the level of noise, that was being made, would surely be to little for a human to notice.

What had me checking every sound though was the fact I felt watched. The sensation prickled along my back brisling my fur. I knew for a fact that a Poliwrath was following me through the river, it had disappeared into the swift moving water as I cut through some tangled undergrowth to continue along the river a few miles back, and had appeared every so often since. I knew it was the same one because it happened to be a light green color indicating that it was a shiny. There also seemed to be one more tailing me but I had yet to catch sight of it as it moved among the trees. And since neither of them had made any hostile movements, other then following I left both alone and continued. However, I kept an ear and eye out. I wasn't in my territory after all and I didn't know the area nor the pokemon. I didn't forget for a second that I was the stranger now, more so, and I curse it yet again, due to my coloring.

It happened as I leaped over the river, keeping my mostly westerly course as the river began to snake south. The Poliwrath's eyes appeared out of the water and under me as I leap and massive weight crashed into me from slightly above me taking the both of us back to the side of the river I had just been on. I rolled away trying to get back to my paws to defend myself when another blow, reminding me strongly of brick break, hit my side causing me to roll again. So there were three of them. The Poliwrath was out of the water now cracking its knuckles and stalking forward. A Breloom came up next to it, bouncing on its feet. I had a feeling the Brick break had come from it. Before I could set my eyes on the third I was leaping away again, my side gave a twinge as I did so, as dust cleared from were I had been standing. A Heracross rose from a small crater it had created and came flying at me again using close combat as it got within hitting range.

I dodged and rolled out of the way or at least tried to. My side where the brick break had landed gave loud protest to my fast and awkward movements. Taking that as an advantage the Heracross directed most of its attacks at the injury. I didn't realize until it was to late that it had pushed me into a tight thicket of trees. My only way out was up but to go up I had to exposed my weakened side. I thought quickly, which was exceedingly hard to do as fists and a horn kept coming at me in rapid succession. Most connected with my blade or claws as I fought to keep a little ground. As the Heracross pushed me further back, the trees above me began to look like my only option. Of course I could attack back, fight for more ground so I could maneuver better, however, it was me against three fighting types, one who was also a bug type, two elements I am weak against, that fight did not seem appealing at all and I was the trespasser here. I took the gamble.

The air rushed from my lungs as if trying to escape a fire and my vision doubled as pain raced up from my back leg. My front paws didn't even reach the first branch before I was falling back to terra firma. Arceus damned that hurt. It seem that the Heracross managed to land a strong blow to my back leg, on the injured side, as I tried the jump. I got unsteadily to my feet.

The Heracross seemed to have thought that I was down with that one has it had turned to walk back to the others. I limped forward a bit to get away from the trees it had backed me into. Pain ran the length of my leg with every movement. Damn Celebi and his insisting I take the stupid human back his stupid piece of stupid metal.

When I was safely way from the trees and about half way to the three other pokemon I stopped and gingerly sat down, trying to keep as much weight off that leg as possible.

"Are you satisfied?" I asked in a dull tone, working hard to keep the pain out of my tone. It was likely that they would all attack now especially if I showed any sign that the last two attacks had done some serious damage.

The Heracross turned back and the Breloom and Poliwrath looked around the bug type to peer at me clearly surprised I had gotten up.

"Bugger." the Heracross muttered as the Poliwrath stepped up fists tightly clenched.

"Do I need to clean up after you again?" It asked the Heracross in a soft exasperated tone, indicating it was female. The Heracross shrugged pathetically, and slumped back as the Breloom chuckled a bit.

So they were a guard of some sort, I gathered from their interaction. Taking a deep breath, numbing myself to the throbbing in my leg I spoke.

"Look I don't know what I did, but clearly I crossed some line. However, I'm just here to give a human," I couldn't stop the disgust from leaking into my voice there, "back something he lost."

"Load of Muk." the Poliwrath said crackling her knuckles again. "Where is your trainer?" She asked in a tone that reminded me strongly of a pissed off Tyranitar.

I shook my head in disbelief. Me some pet of a human? "What?" I asked back in confusion thinking I had heard wrong.

"You heard her Absol." the Breloom spoke up, "She asked where your trainer was."

I growled at the very thought of being owned by some stupid human. It was insulting. "I don't know what your talking about, I am the property of no human, they all can die for all I care." I snarl getting pissed myself.

The trio didn't seem to believe me and circled me as if I was going to run off. I stayed still, the pain in my leg slowly fading to a dull throb, but I didn't want them t know that.

"Don't know what your playing at Absol, but we know you have a trainer." the Breloom said bouncing on its feet and thumping its tail on the ground.

"And the bugger probably knows that the area on the other side of the river is off limits to trainers and their pokemon, which is why they sent you." Added the Heracross crossly.

"I have no trainer." I growled getting to my feet, "To make such an accusation is an insult." my leg throbbed and threatened to give out but I stood firm, I wasn't going to take these three thinking I was some humans lackey.

"Blimey she's really stick'in to that story aren't she?" The Heracross said to the other two in an amused tone. The other two nodded in agreement.

"But it's not one we're going to believe, and no sensible pokemon would, I mean look at that coat, every one knows that Absol's are white or if shiny red." The Breloom replied as if I wasn't there, but all three looked to me as if daring me to deny what the Grass fighting type had just said.

Not for the first time did I curse my coloring, and what I was. "Look this is my natural color. I was born with black fur and have always had black fur." I huffed at them, starting to find this whole situation meaning less. It was clear that the three would think the same no matter what I did or said and I was past annoyed, moving quickly to pissed off.

"Geez did your trainer dye you the moment you were out of your poke-egg?" The Breloom asked, pausing for a moment in his ever bouncing motion. I couldn't place the look on his face but it seemed vaguely concerned. In fact the other two mimicked the look.

"I don't know what your talking about, what is dye?" I responded back still angry, and mildly confused. I was sure this dye was a human creation.

"The stuff your trainer puts into your fur to make it black instead of white." the Poliwrath answered, her eyes narrowing.

I mimic the movement, getting the idea of what they were talking about, I'd seen a few human females put a disgusting looking goop into their fur to make it a different color. "Look, this is my natural color. Don't believe me, I don't care. I am here only to give a human male back a metal disk he dropped, and I'm going to do that whether you three like it or not." With that I began slowly moving forward, keeping a close watch of the three. Getting hit again would be bad.

As I thought the Poliwrath blocked my movement and moved to stay in front of me when ever I turned to move around her.

"Trainer pokemon are aren't allowed…" the Heracross started but was cut off by the Poliwrath.

"You basically said you hated humans, so why are you taking something back to one of them?" She asked in a calculated question. I realized almost at once what she was trying to do, get me to say I ha d a trainer.

"Yes I'm taking a human back a piece of metal he dropped, but I was blackmailed into it by a very annoying Psychic and a friend of his. I'm not here by choice, nor am I enjoying it. I would much rather be back on my mountain helping the pokemon repair the damage of the fire." I sat back down, my leg no longer supporting my weight.

A Volbeat went on in the Heracross' head but the Breloom and Poliwrath remained glaring at me.

"But aren't you strong against a Psychic? I can't see how one could blackmail you into anything." Breloom commented in what I think was suppose to be a tone of superiority. "Though that could say something about your skills, I'm know we've beaten several." He added with a smirk.

The Poliwrath was going to say something but the Heracross beat her to it. "You're the black demon aren't you mate?." the two others whipped their heads toward the Fighting bug as he seemed to stare at me. I raised a none existent eyebrow.

"Are you going on about that again!" The poliwrath nearly screamed now facing her companion. "How many times do I have to tell you that those are just stories! If a black demon existed it was nearly 50 human years ago, long before any of us here were born. And the pokemon that come over here from black mountain are just perpetuating that story so they keep their mountain safe."

"That's what the humans in the town at the roots on my mountain call me." I replied after the Poliwrath's out burst, fighting back a smirk.

"Oh no you don't. Your not using that old legend to get out of this, Absol." The Poliwrath replied with a finger pointed at me. "You'd have to be over fifty years old to be the black demon." she added skeptical.

"Absol's are also known as the century pokemon. We tend to live very long lives." I responded back in a dull tone, getting tired of this conversation. "Not that, that fact has any baring on this conversation. And the Psychic, not that you really need to know was Celebi. He blackmailed me into taking Envy…. Enin… Enish, En something," I stumbled trying to remembers the humans name, " back the silver disk he dropped after helping get pokemon out of the fire." I said looking the Poliwrath in the eye.

I seen something click into place and a Volbeat turned on in the water types head as well.

"Enishi?" she asked still skeptical but now willing to listen.

"Yes I believe that's what the human called himself when he talked to the pokemon who had helped him out."

"Describe him." was the order from the Poliwrath. I thought a moment before answering. I really did not like her tone nor the fact that she ordered me to do something. But the others moved a little closer, interested in what I had to say. Why, I do not know.

"He was a human male, only a few inches taller then the Furret he had around his shoulders, lightish brown fur that was very short, lake water colored eyes, blue cloth that had the poke balls, over black cloth on his upper half and darker blue cloth on his legs. He had a mechanical device on one of his wrists and I think that's what the disk thing I'm carrying belongs to." I pause for breath, " and he had a pokemon team of five, the Furret, a Lucaio, a Flygon, a Croagunk, and an Aron." again I raise a nonexistent eyebrow, waiting for response.

It was clear that's not what the Poliwrath had expected, nor the other two from the looks on their faces. They quickly gathered into a small huddle a few feet away. I picked up fragments of their conversation as they tried to talk in low tones. Apparently the human only wore that cloth when on missions and not many people knew what he looked like. They started arguing over a point the Poliwrath had made. Which made her smack the Breloom over the head.

I took the time to stretch out my leg, cringing a bit as it protested the movement. I was glad however when I only got a slight throb from it. I'd have a limp for a while but there was no serious damage. The forest had gotten louder and I spotted a few bird pokemon in the trees spying on the four of us. I stretched fully as the Poliwrath gave a muttered "Fine!"

"We have decided to believe your story for now. However there is one thing we want do test before we let you continue on." she nodded to the Breloom who hopped his way behind me. "We want to make sure your fur isn't dyed black."

That's all the warning I got before the Poliwrath unleashed a hydro pump on me. I slammed into the Breloom who braced us both against the on slot of water. Just when I thought the water type was meaning to drowned me, the attack stopped and I landed on the ground coughing up water with a Breloom, trying to be helpful, pounding on my back to help me get the water out of my lungs. All I have to say is ow.

I stood and glared at the Poliwrath who looked very sheepish. "If you ever try and wash away my fur color again, or doubt it in anyway I will thunder your ass to Arceus and back you understand me?" I growled out looking very much like a drowned Mareep as I stalked past the two in front of me.

As I leaped over the river I heard the Poliwrath call out, "If your lying about anything beside your fur color, Animus, Taiga, and Venishi will take care of you!" I shook my head in pure annoyance and in an attempt to get water from my ears.

It took hours to get my fur dry after the Poliwrath's little stunt, and in that time it seemed the three had spread the word about what I was doing there. The forests pokemon made no attempt to hide themselves now and openly, if not a little fearfully stared at me and followed my movements through the trees. I was annoyed beyond belief and my leg was throbbing with pain every step. I had a feeling that the hydro pump had twisted my already injured leg out of place. I didn't know who I wanted to hurt more at the moment, the Poliwrath or Celebi. Both deserved a good beating and I was in the mood to hurt something.

I stopped just outside a small natural clearing, full of tall grass, to finish drying off and rest my leg. If I remembered correctly this clearing used to be a small pound and was almost in the middle of the forest. That surprised me a bit. I had expected humans to have moved into this area by now, but I remembered that the Heracross had said something about trainers not being allowed somewhere which I assume was on this side of the river. That could play apart in this still being a living elder forest.

A little while later, when I could stand the stares of several small Pichus no longer I got up and walked out into the clearing, reveling in the feel of the afternoon sun on my fur. I was half way across the clearing before I heard the buzzing of a bugs wings a little to late. At the same time I registered the smell of a Scyther's nest right as I came upon it.

The Scyther's blade cut into my injured side deeply taking me down to a crouching position. Even knowing I had come upon the bug types nest without permission and so had provoked the attack, I lashed out with a thunder attack, for two reasons. The first being I was still highly pissed at the Poliwrath and second I wanted to keep the angry bug type a good distance away. I stayed still striking out with a thunder every time I heard the Scyther rounding on me again. None of the attacks hit and I made sure to keep them away from the nest. After about the fifth past, and no luck about thinking of a way out of the situation, I move closer to the nest hopping that by doing so the Scyther would stop trying to attack my in fear it would hit the nest.

This tactic only made the aggressive pokemon increase its pace and make its attacks bolder. Panting I still again, lashing out with another thunder, but it was weaker then the last and I could barley feel my back leg.

"I'm going to maim Celebi for this." I mutter under my breath as the bug type made another pass, catching the very top of my right shoulder with its blade. The attack had all the characteristics of fury cutter. Which meant that the Scyther would attack again in the next few moments. I was proved correct again as the blades hit me three more times though they only left shallow cuts on my back which I was thankful for.

I was startled by movement in front of me. When I looked up I saw to my horror another Scyther, female by the looks, standing in the grass in front of me.

"Scratch that I'm going to murder Celebi." I mutter again, keeping an ear on the Scyther still flying around and my eyes on the one in front of me.

"Guardian?" the Scyther in front of me asked giving off the air of a royally pissed mother.

I don't know if I was happy to hear that name or terrified that the nest I wandered into more then likely had eggs in it. I managed a weak nodded and at that the female rose up into the air stopping, the male from his next attack. I could hear a conversation above me but I remained still until both landed in the grass in front of me. I looked up to them as I was now plastered to the ground. The male stalked off back toward the nest and the female bent down to lift me up off the ground.

It took some work but she got me to the other side of the clearing and into the shade. While she gathered a few berries from nearby bushes she began to talk.

"I'm sorry about that Guardian, we've just had several Ekans and Arbok's try and steal from our nest and my mate is very up tight about it. I told him we should have moved to my swarms breeding grounds on your mountain, but he just flat out refused. Saying that his swarm's grounds were just as good as mine and what not." she sighed and brought the berries over setting them in front of me. "I figured you weren't another Ekans when the thunders started to go off and I tried to stop him, then I heard you mutter and did that give me a shock. Its been almost a whole year since I last heard your voice and to think I hear it coming out of the grass my mate is attacking." she shook her head. "I'm sorry again Guardian."

"It's perfectly ok, I was the one that intruded into your nest site without thinking." I replied back forcing myself to eat a few of the Oran berries. They were horridly thick on my tongue and I had to force back my gag reflex to get them down. There was no flavor to them and I had to remind myself I needed to eat them to get the next two down. The two Sitrus berries were a little bit better as they didn't stick to my tongue as badly. I felt the berries effects almost immediately, the pain lessened and the bleeding stopped. The cut would have closed had I eaten the last two Sitrus berries but my stomach wasn't having any of it.

"Thank you for the berries." I said with gratitude, getting shakily to my feet.

"No need to thank me Guardian, though if I may ask what are you doing this far from the Mountain?" the Scyther asked with curiosity looking back toward her nest.

"A human left a metal disk in the forest after he helped out with a forest fire. Celebi's got me taking it back to him." I explained, not knowing if I wanted to get feeling back into my leg or not.

She looked at me in shock. Understandable, giving that I'd rather see all humans go die then go near one, but I shrugged replying, "It was either me or Celebi taking it back, the conniving little troublemaker." the Scyther seemed to understand and chuckled a bit.

"I'm going to assume the human your talking about is Enishi, since he's the only person who lives anywhere close by." I nod nosing the last Sitrus berry with a sigh, "His house is just a little bit north of here, past the lake, but you might fine him at the lake, he has a Spheal he takes down there sometimes."

"Thank you again." I ate the last berry hoping my stomach wouldn't reject it.

"Again no problem Guardian, and I'm sorry for my mates actions." the Scyther bowed a bit before walking back into the grass. "Hope the berries helped." was her last comment before disappearing into the grass.

I gingerly make my way away from the clearing, being a lot more cautious and alert. I couldn't afford another fight, nor injury. I had been stupid. I was in unfamiliar territory and I hadn't been paying enough attention to my surroundings. Both fights could of easily been avoided. If my head wasn't already pounding from blood loss I would of gladly hit my head against a tree a few dozen times. I was making pupish mistakes.

The next hour was slow going, and very quiet. Instead of gawking at me the pokemon I passed only gave me passing glances or nods that they had seen me and otherwise remained almost silent. A few I recognized as pokemon that migrated into my territory over the summer or winter seasons. And a small hand full took one look at me and took off in the direction I was heading. I figured these were like the Poliwrath, Breloom and Heracross, guards or something similar. I followed their path, more then confident they were going to the human I was looking for.

When my leg decided it wouldn't take another step, by literally buckling under me, I stopped and laid down for a few minutes.

Faint light made its way through the canopy above me littering the ground with moving patches of muted light. It was hypnotic in a way. My eyes followed one of the patches of their own accord. As I watched the light, my eyes gently closed and before I knew it the comfortable embrace of slumber wrapped around me. I couldn't have been out long before the familiar prickle of pain swept through my blade and my dreamless sleep was over taken by the familiar black and white of my visions.

A Luxray lay in the shade of a large tree near either a lake or a river. The pokemon had a troubled look to its face, almost as if suffering a great pain, which could have been explained by the casts it had on its legs. The image didn't dwell on the Luxray too long though, it quickly moved up to the branch right above the electric pokemon, where two Pachirisu seemed to be arguing. Each of the pokemon were sending sparks at each other. Then the one closest to the trunk shot off a thunder toward the other, the branch split which caused the small squirrel farthest from the trunk to squeak. Both these pokemon made it safely on to another branch, but the Luxray wasn't as fortunate. The broken branch landed with a sick crack, for the Electric lion couldn't move and the branch was easily the width of a Seviper and the weight of a Scizor.

As the branch landed in my vision I woke with a sudden jolt as a weight landed solidly onto my back. I snarled. Without thought to my injuries I sprang up, dislodging the weight from my side and spun to face what had landed on me.

To my instant and almost comical surprise a Shinx lay on the ground, spread paw looking dazed. I could almost see the Pidgey circling the little ones head. I relaxed almost at once with a sort of exasperated sigh, another action Celebi told me was near human, and turned my gaze up as a yelp came from the tree above. Another cub struggled to right itself on a branch about half way up the tree, glowing with soft electricity typical of a Shinx in trouble. While the one that had fallen recovered I tested my back leg. I found it stiff and sore but not exceedingly painful. That in mind I jumped up into the tree carefully making my way up to the branch below the struggling Shinx cub.

"You can let go of the branch, little one." I tried to say in a calm tone, so not to startle the Shinx, and apparently I failed as it jumped slightly at my voice losing what little grip it had on the branch. Before the Shinx could get out another full yelp I sprang from my branch, catching the cub with a gentle bite and brought us both to the ground. Though my leg really didn't like me for the movement and I landed a little less gracefully then was my normal standard.

I sat the Shinx cub down next to his brother who had recovered from the fall. They both looked at me with guilty and apprehensive faces, clearly stating they had done something wrong and were expecting to get punished for it. I smirked and gave them a stern glare as if I was about to reprimand them. They shrunk back a little bit.

"Are either of you hurt?" I asked my tone soft but firm.

Both shook their head rapidly back and forth indicating they weren't. The one that had fallen on me was the smaller of the two and shook his head so hard that he lost his balance falling forward again. This caused his brother to snort in an attempt to hold back a laugh which failed miserably.

"This is why you fell out of the tree, you idiot. You have no balance." He snickered, pushing his brother with a paw.

I watched the two a moment. The comment by his bigger brother seemed to down the small ones mood and he stayed on the ground paws hiding his face.

"I hope you recall that you too almost fell out of the tree as well and that had I not been under the tree your brothers landing would have seriously hurt him." I say in the same tone. This sobered the bigger of the two up quickly, more quickly then I had expected.

"Sorry ma'am." The bigger said softly not looking me in the face. The smaller had also gotten back to his feet and followed his brothers example.

I sighed and relaxed my posture. "It's good that you realize this. Though if I must say, your brothers clumsiness maybe do to the fact his paws are so big." the bigger looked at his brothers feet and snickered again, while his brother tried to hide his paws under his paws. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you." I took on the serious tone again, " bigger paws usually mean a bigger adult. Your brother may end up being bigger then you." this shocked the bigger and made the smaller perk up.

"Really?" the smaller asked eagerly.

"There's no way, your just making that up!" the bigger exclaimed, clearly not liking the fact his brother could possible end up bigger the him.

"Yes really, and I'm not making it up. I've seen a lot of pokemon who were the smallest in the family end up being the biggest and strongest in the end." I smirked. The smaller puffed out his chest in pride, while the bigger scowled. "So what are your names?"

"I'm Ace!" the bigger one answered first happy to get the change of subject, "and this is my brother Max."

"Hey I can tell her my own name!" the smaller exclaimed tackling Ace and nibbling on his ear. Ace responded in kind and with in seconds they were fighting each other in a full on brawl.

I howled at them, splitting them apart rather quickly. Both trembled and seemed to be expecting punishment. " I respect the fact that your brothers and will fight each other but right now I'm not in the mood to deal with it. Now where are your parents? Cubs as young as you two normally aren't out of either mother or father sights for very long." I asked stretching out my back leg with a wince.

To my surprise Max spoke first this time. "Mama is at the lake with Enishi, who was with Animus and the three that fight strange pokemon near the river. Papa's under the ground on the hill." His eyes were bright but down cast and I immediately knew that their father was no longer in this world but the reverse with Giritina. My head bowed in a silent acknowledgement of their fathers passing.

"Is this human holding your mother captive?" I assumed this had to be the case, he probably was responsible for the fathers death as well. No human could be trusted no matter what Celebi thought.

"No!" Ace yelled out with great conviction coat blazing with electricity. Okay so I may have assumed wrong. "Enishi saved her! We would of lost her too if he hadn't done anything!." he continued to yell.

"We wouldn't have a place to live it if wasn't for him," Max added as his brother took a breath. "Our mama was badly hurt in the rockslide trying to get us out of the den. Enishi brought her here to heal, we owe him a lot." Max explained a lot calmer then his brother who looked ready to tackle me if I said anything more against Enishi.

"So why didn't he save your father as well?" I asked out of interest and skepticism. Even Max growled a bit at me for this question.

"Our mama has told us it was because papa stopped Enishi from saving him. She said that if papa hadn't stopped him, Enishi would of died too and there would have been no one to help her, and papa couldn't let that happen because we need her and she need us." Max answered keeping Ace from tackling me.

"I apologize for being disrespectful then. I do not know Enishi nor his nature." and the more I learn the least I trust him, I added to myself, as the cubs seemed to calm down.

"How can you not know Enishi?" Ace asked perplexed, his early ire at me temporarily forgotten. "Everyone here knows him, he keeps the humans with the red and white balls out of the forest."

"I'm not from this forest, I'm from the mountains in the east." I explain, in amusement as their eyes widen.

"Really!" both question at once. "We can see them from the lake sometimes when playing with Enishi." Max continued.

"Wait does that mean that you are the ones that the three that fight along the river were reporting to Enishi about?" Ace asked, stern but still excited.

"More then likely. I seemed to have caused something of an uproar when I crossed the river."

"That's so cool!" they both exclaimed in unison.

I shook my head at the enthusiasm of the cubs, before my blade throbbed gently. Its reminder to me that I needed to get moving, if I ignored the pulse it would just get stronger until it crippled me. Remembering that little fact got me shaking out my limbs and moving forward.

"You said that your mother was at the lake with Enishi right?" I asked moving in the direction the cubs scent had come from.

"Yeah why?" Ace responded looking at me with a tilted head.

"You two should be getting back to your mother and because I don't know this forest nor, Enishi's character, I'm going to take you guys back. Got a problem with the plan?" I was already several trees father away by this point and as predicted the two brothers came bounding up with floppy limps and grins of youth.

Max, while sticking a tongue out at Ace, shook his head, "No problem, we kind of got a bit lost anyway. That's why we were climbing the tree, to see if we could see the lake."

I nod and start off at a jog just fast enough to actually gain some ground but slow enough the two cubs could keep up. I kept this pace for an hour or so by the movement of the sun before my leg begins to stiffen and the two cubs seem to be growing tired themselves.

"So any of this look familiar?"

"Yeah. The lake isn't too far I think." Ace said pausing to catch his breath along with Max who dropped to the ground with a soft plop sound. I stopped as well, noting the tinge of the smell of water in the air and subtle changes in the plants.

"Well then I guess you two can hitch a ride the rest of the way, don't want your mother think I chased you guys all the way back." I lowered myself to the ground flinching a bit when Max climbed up on my back from my injured leg.

"I didn't think we went that far Ace, but we must have gone a few miles with how long it took to get back."

Ace hesitated a few second before he too climbed on, thankfully from my other side. "I know. Mama must be worried sick, I'm surprised that we haven't run into any people searching for us yet."

"Having fun always makes any journey seem shorter, and we probably haven't run into any body yet because you're traveling with me." I state simply, adjusting to accommodate the two on my back. My leg wasn't going to be happy with me, and I could already see it screaming at me once I put these two down.

The lake was close thankfully, and Ace and Max appeared to be experienced at riding on someone's back because they stayed still most of the way, save for Max digging his claws into my sides at a small jump I had to take.

Other then that both talked extensively about their mother and the human, saying how I would love him and everything. I learned a lot from them, facts such as how strong the human was; he liked to spar with the pokemon on his team and those in the forest, how often he was gone; the cubs bemoaned these absences, and that they seemed to think that he cared about the pokemon because he protected this land from other people. To this I snorted refraining from the comment that he's probably only doing it for his own gain. A full forest of pokemon just for him. My blade throbbed strongly.

This opinion held as we come up to the lake, opposite of the human and what appeared to be their mother under a tree. He stood in the clearing , clearly giving orders the flying and bug types around him. The water soaked up his words but the body language was as clear as a Cryogonal. Wanting to leave the cubs there upon seeing the human walk over and bend down to the Luxray, my eyes strayed to the tree above the very frantic, but immobile Luxray, where two Pachirisu seemed to be arguing.

Adrenalin hit my system faster then I could comprehend. My paws tore up the thin sandy shore. I no longer felt the pain of my previous injuries nor the fresh stabs of the cubs claws into my sides as they struggled to stay on. All that mattered was the tree and the branch the two electric types fought on.

The moment of my vision drew closer and as always a sickening dread flooded my stomach, what if I was too slow? Too late? And as this dread spread my paws punished the ground and I sped up, solutions to the problem racing through my head. As I got closer the human once again walked up to the Luxray and away again, it seemed if he was trying to keep the pokemon from moving. I let out a growl of indignation at the exact moment the Pachirisu closest to the tree fired off a thunder. The next few seconds passed in slow motion as I realized I was still too far away. The second electric type jumped from the falling half of the branch to the secure few inches the other one occupied looking horrified. The human turned at the sound, face holding a shocked expression that quickly turned to something of deep pain.

Before I knew what I was doing, I skidded through the sand coming to a stop partly in the water and my whole body tensed as a dark purple aura leaped away from my body and shot toward the falling branch halting its descent in mid air. I could feel the weight of the branch on my mind, the Psychic attack too weak to keep it suspended forever. The Cubs had jumped from my back and were running toward their mother calling out to her in painful cries. The branch got heavier and I felt like biting the human for his slowness, he was the only one close enough to move the Luxray as I could only hold the branch still.

He looked toward me, his eye catching mine and I fought the weariness over coming me and the weight of the branch to send him a proper glare. This seemed to get him moving and just as the weight become too much he had moved the Luxray out from under the branch, and the cubs were safely next to their mother. I released the branch. Hitting the ground at the same time it did. My eyes fought to stay open but my earlier wounds were screaming now and weariness that only using Psychic could bring washed over me in great waves. The last thing I saw was the cubs running back toward me. Darkness.

It felt as if my ears and nose and mouth were stuffed full of cotton spore. My mind was groggy like it had done a great physical feat. The first thing that came through the fog was pain, lots of it, from my back and side and leg and oddly from my head, though I remember no injury to it. Then came the sensation of movement, a jerky labored sort of movement, that didn't stop. Next sounds made it through the cotton, loud and pounding at first then quieting. Many pokemon were around all talking low amongst themselves. The name 'Enishi' kept coming up along with 'weird colors' and the question 'is she safe?'. I knew the name from somewhere but my brain was still to fogged to grasp at it. Though jerky the movement was soothing somehow and as I fought to regain conciseness, it fought to pull me back into slumber. Finally my nose cleared out. The first smell that hit my senses jolted me out of the fog. Human. Male. Enishi.

I twisted in his grip, not at all concerned about hitting him with my tail or blade, until I was able to get one of my back paws against his chest which offered me enough leverage to push away and out of his arms. The landing hurt, my shoulder slammed into the ground along with my blade, jarring my head, causing the world to spin behind my closed eye lids. When I opened my eyes Enishi and three of the pokemon I had seen him with previously were standing in front of me tensed. The human had three gashes across his chest where my paw and claws got him, they gently wept blood. I struggled to stand up right, my left shoulder burning with pain along with the rest of my injuries. I glared at him, though the effect was probably ruined by my eyes continuously closing on me as I fought to stay awake.

Enishi clutched at his wounds briefly before standing up, in what appeared to be normal human bravado, and walked toward me slowly, cautiously. I backed up in a painful, hopping limp. He knelt when he was only feet away. I growled.

"Peace. I mean you no harm. I was only trying to get you same medical help." his voice was soft and as cautious as his movements yet it was pinched with pain.

I growled again, noting the effects of the Lucario's aura field. If I said anything back he'd be able to understand me. Never had I spoken to a human and I didn't feel like starting at that moment, but I am irritated and in pain.

"Peace? I don't need your forged peace human…" my back leg gave out and I grimaced, "All humans do harm whether they…mean it or…not." my breathing became more labored and my vision began to darken even though I fought against it. "I do…not…need…your…help."

"For this, I apologize" Came a quiet voice from my right. I whipped my head around, but was too late. The human's Croagunk was at my side, his fingers glowing a pale purple. Poison Jab. Darkness.

The next round of consciousness left me feeling sick. The pungent smell of healing herbs was thick in the air along with the lingering odor of a human. The scent nauseated me, or was it the poison from the Croagunk? My mind was clearer this time, not entirely idled with pain, though my wounds burned with an itching sensation, allowing me to take note of my situation. The human was still close by, I could tell from the smell, several of his pokemon were as well. I was still outside though I wasn't on the ground. I shifted a little to try and fine what I was laying on to discover my leg and side were bandaged and the smaller wounds were coated with something thick that stung as I moved. My movement apparently caught the attention of two pokemon near me, from their scent a Chansey and an Audino.

I opened my eyes when the Audino touched my shoulder, I met his eye and relaxed, only to jump when the Chansey lifted the bandage on my leg. I let out a sharp yelp, which everyone noticed. For once I'm glad that my fur is black.

"Sorry, sorry. I just needed to check how well the ointment was working." the Chansey said outside my field of vision.

"It burns." was my reply in a harsh and aggravated tone. I was sure that the ointment that had been used, was the source of the nauseating scent of herbs, which explained the burning itch of my wounds. I couldn't handle herbs like I couldn't handle berries.

The Audino blinked in puzzlement and from the movement but my legs the Chansey had given an equally puzzled look. "What do you mean Absol?" the Audino asked, concern barely masked in his features. I suddenly felt very awkward.

"I mean that my wounds are very itchy and feel like they are burning." there was still puzzlement. "In human terms I'm allergic to herbs and berries because of what I am. I'm surprised neither of you has sensed it yet." the last part was a bit harsh but the longer I was awake the more sensation returned to my body and the more my wounds were starting to severely irritate me.

In a swift movement both healing pokemon were in front of me, black and blue eyes searching me.

"You don't mean you're a…?" Chansey was the first to speak looking between the human and the Audino, and me, with a concerned and worried look.

"Yes."

At that the Chansey nodded and hurried away toward the human. My eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry, She not going to tell him, she's just going over there to make him get some hot water so we can wash the ointment off." he fidgeted, a movement that didn't seem like something he would normally do. "May I check? It has been a while since we were last around another like us and never have we encountered one that wasn't a Chansey or Audino."

With a stiff nod of my head Audino stretched out his feelers to me, both gently touching my forehead. They glowed slightly pink then faded.

"I am sorry Absol. I didn't think. We used the herbs because Enishi figured you would be more comfortable with natural cures then human made ones."

I shrugged as best I could laying on my side. "I've no hard feelings toward you or Chansey." I relaxed and rested my eyes with a sigh. The Audino moved down and began to remove the bandages with great care.

A few minutes later the Chansey returned with the human following. The sound of sloshing water told me he carried a bucket. I kept my eyes closed trying to ignore the sickening smell of the herbs now that the bandages were off.

"Will you tell me now what's wrong, looks like the wounds are healing just fine. Why must the medicine be washed off?" the human asked his voice closer then I thought he was. I opened my eyes to find him looking at the two pokemon just outside my vision. The Lucario wasn't to far off either.

The gruff voice of the Audino responded. "She's having an allergic reaction to the herbs in the ointment, not too severe yet but if the medicine remains on her it will become a serious problem." the human looked down at me, worried and I stared back keeping my expression neutral.

"I'm glad you are awake Absol. I have to thank you for saving the Cubs mother and bringing them back. I'm in your debt twice over now, for saving my life and that of Tanit." He bowed toward me.

"You owe me nothing human, it is my duty to help." I replied to him in a low tone looking away from him and adding, "even if I don't wish to help."

The human sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm sorry you feel that way but if you ever need assistance I will do whatever I can to help you, because it is also my duty to help." I snorted.

"Humans have lost what it means to have a duty. For you to help is a choice, one you can change at anytime. If I had that choice I'd let all the humans I've had to help and will inevitably help, rot where they stand." I closed my eyes. It had been years since I talked with a human and it was irritating. I'd forgotten how little they remembered and knew. Why anyone would stay as the awkward, and stupid creatures humans were was beyond me.

I felt water splash onto my leg, scalding but soothing at the same time. I hadn't realized how inflamed my flesh was until the water, cool now, ran in rills through my fur. I made a made a slight, deep growl in my throat to show my thanks to the two healing pokemon. The Lucario tensed. Even with my eyes closed I could sense the fluctuation in the aura field around us.

My eyes snap to him. This wasn't my territory, and I was at the disadvantage, but I wasn't going to take a potential threat lightly. A cornered, and injured pokemon can be quiet vicious. The human appeared unaware of this little exchange, but I couldn't be sure, as he started to talk.

"For some of us, Absol, its not a choice. Not any more." He sighed again, voice suddenly heavy, as if his words carried miniature worlds. His gaze turned to the sky. "Some of us have lost the ability to make such a choice. A call to help, we'll came no matter how big or how small the problem is." and again he sighed, almost like he had a leak in his lungs expelling the air against his will. "But I doubt I can convince you otherwise, based on what I've learned about what the forest you come from has been through, because of those stupid towns people. You have every right and all the evidence to see the world the way you do." this last part was spit from clenched teeth, the image of a Seviper spiting poison come to mind.

I thought on his words a moment, to unused to speaking with humans to read much from the voice or body language. One thing I fought to keep in check was anger. Anger at him for assuming that he knew what my forest had been through, what the pokemon had been through. Another thing I fought, was something I assumed I had killed when my brother was brought down by our sisters, empathy for the humans.

I snarled in frustration, jumping from the thing I was laying on. Not a very practical move considering my condition. My leg nearly gave out under me, but I fought it, giving my mind something else to think about other then the previous thoughts. Looking toward the human I could see that he had turned to calm the Lucario, who was now fighting to move in front of his trainer. Bile rose in my throat. The Audino and Chansey looked on with sad eyes but did nothing else, though I could tell that they wished to help me.

It was then I noticed the weight around my neck, remembering the reason I was there in the first place. The vines and disk must have moved and were now hidden under my fur. I then had two choices, leave, which would lead to Celebi getting pissed at me, or let the human take be his trinket. I heard the human speak, his words slightly muffled since he wasn't facing me.

"Stand down my friend, she hasn't hurt anyone. If she wants to leave then she by all means can. We have no right to hold her here." He then looked at me; "though I think you should let those two finish their job." he nodded toward the Chansey and Audino.

I sat my butt down in the dirt and tilted my head at him, an eyebrow raising again in an almost human gesture. "I am fine. These wounds are not life threatening."

The humans eyes saddened but he nodded again toward me, easing up his grip on the fighting steel type. "Then that choice is yours Absol, no one here will stop you from leaving." he moved to the side followed hesitantly by the Lucario. It was then I noticed the gathering of pokemon around us as they too parted.

"I can't." the words felt bitter on my tongue. There was a collective pause.

"We are not stopping you so why can't you leave?" Enishi questioned, arms crossing over his chest.

"Because human I haven't done what I came here to do." many of the pokemon stiffened and the Lucario clenched his fists. "You left a metal disk after the fire, I'm here to return it." the human stared shocked for a moment.

"You found my capture discus? Thank you, I wish I could give you more then words, but thank you." I gritted my teeth at what the disk actually was but replied in a calm tone.

"It is duty. You… gave aid during the fire and lost the disk. It was found afterwards, and as guardian of the forest it is my obligation to return it. I do not require your thank you." I reached a paw up to my neck and cut the vine, Celebi secured the disk with, easily. There was a soft thud as it landed. I picked it up by the vine with my teeth and limped over to Enishi.

"It still means a lot. Thank you for returning it." the human kneeled and removed the vine and disk form my mouth. For a brief moment we were eye level, and a shiver ran through my blade as I locked my harsh red eyes with his calm lake blue ones. I got a tightening feeling in my gut that this wasn't the last I would see of this human. He straightened, saying something to the fighting steel type. I quickly broke eye contact and started limping away.

"You can thank me by never coming into my forest again. I have dealt with Rangers before, and you would end up no differently." I didn't look back or wait for a response before I dashed away using quick attack.

The smell of rain was thick in the air when I got back to the comfort of my territory. The air was heavy and damp, a balm for my frayed nerves. The mountains were blanketed with fog, a relieving sign after the rain the week before. The area would be free from fire for little while longer, until the mid summer heat parched the soils. I breathed in deep, glad, oh so glad that I was back where I belonged and I could forget the human that kept appearing. Celebi was going to get an earful and an ass kicking, but first, first a long sleep was called for.

Instead of going to the lake, the psychic more then likely already knowing I was back, I headed for my cave. Peace was what I needed at the moment and time to think. By nature I wasn't one to think to hard on the meaning of things but the events of the last few days… they just couldn't be ignored.


	3. Rain, Mud, And More Mud

Warning: If you don't like Pokemon X Human pairings leave now. If you don't like Pokemon morphing into human form leave now. If you don't like first person stories, please leave now. If you have problems with pokemon at all please leave now. If your cool with all that by all means stay and enjoy.

I recommend that if you enjoy this one to read its partner it as it offers a slightly different point of view. KitsuneOfTheNightSky's version is entitled Blame: The Ranger's Story.

This is rated M for good reasons, Criticism appreciated as long as it's constructive. If you are going to flame please explain the reasons for it.

Sorry for the six month wait school tends to to that. Please read and enjoy.

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><p>Chapter 3<p>

I shook myself for the millionth time though it did no good. The rains left me soaked to the skin and I had the feeling that if this went on any longer it would be to the bone. Nearly two weeks without a halt to the downpour. I wasn't necessarily complaining, the mountain needed the rain, but after the fire…well as is said 'every good thing in excess can do horrible things'. I should probably get Celebi to talk to Kyoger, but I wasn't ready to break my silent treatment against him or the Zoura. Not that either of them seemed to care. I scoffed and shook myself again heading up the mountain, to deliver my two small passengers to the safety of the cave.

Clouds dark and heavy with grey water sat stagnate in the sky as I jumped a crevice, newly opened from the soaking rains. Another thing to blame the humans for. They didn't seem to realize how unstable they were making the mountain before I arrived. A few more years in their control and the whole mountain would have been one giant sink hole.

I made my way through a narrow crack in the cliff side, sheltered from the down pour, and followed it to a small cavern that opened up to the maze under the mountain. Many were already in the space, including Celebi, promptly ignored, who was entertaining a couple of crying Houndour pups. Three Quailava were taking their turns at warming the cavern and providing light. I shook one more time at the entrance, not wanting to flood the place with my dripping fur.

Two Pichu slid off my back, having been hiding in my longer neck fur. One sneezed and for several brief seconds I relearned why water and electricity didn't mix as I lit up like a human's Christmas tree. After the burning tingle dissipated a Pikachu and Raichu scurried up from the back of the room and proceeded to hug the two smaller pokemon to death. I gave a soft smile and let them be. It had taken forever to find the two missing youngsters after the Raichu had made it to the cave, frantic with panic. Luckily they hadn't fallen into one on the newly opened pits like the Raichu feared and had just gotten separated from their mother in the heavy rain like the Pikachu had. Though Pikachu had made it to the cavern while the Pichu had not.

I waited out their thanks ignoring both Celebi's and Zorua's attempts to get my attention. The dark type had snuck over to the psychic seemingly thinking I wouldn't see him illuminated against the caves wall from the Quilava's fires. The two who had become almost inseparable in the two days it took to deal with the human, both didn't care that I wanted nothing to do with them at the moment.

"Tyth, Tyth over here! Come on over here!" the Zorua exclaimed bouncing like a Spheal. I ignored him, gave a lick to the two Pichu's and made my way farther into the cave.

The mountain was one big cave system thanks to much to the humans. This one was the most stable and one of the largest. This small area opened up into three more caverns, all of which could comfortably hold several Waylords without complaint if the water types could leave the sea. As it was now the caverns were full to the bursting point with pokemon seeking shelter from the storm.

After making my rounds of the rest of the cave I came back to the entrance. A Vulpix was in the place the Quilava had been and a new group was huddled around him to get warm and dry off. Among them was a shiny Wingull who hopped between groups of pokemon more then likely spreading rumors and gossip. She stopped talking to the newest arrivals and hopped over to me as I sat down along the back wall, where I could see the entrance.

"Tyth, ooh Tyth you're not going to believe this!" She chirped, shaking herself in excitement. Without waiting for a response from me she continued. "That Flygon, you know the Flygon that human had, who was here a few weeks ago, right? Well, the Pidoves said that they seen it coming back over here, but you know you can't trust a word they say so I checked with the Floatzal who live in the south delta of the river and they too said they might have seen the Flygon. So you know I had to just check this stuff out right, I mean that humans not supposed to be here you know? So I looked around myself and sure enough that human was going into the pokemon center. Can you believe it. He had the gall to come back." She took a deep breath having said that all on one lungful of the slightly stale air. The whole cave stilled. This Wingull was known as gossip-gull as she enjoyed spreading rumors and information. However, this was one piece of news you didn't tell me without tact and she had none what so ever, though it would have gone horrible either way. I wanted nothing more to do with that degenerate human and his pokemon.

"WHAT!" I nearly roared, on my feet in an instant. The Wingull flapped its wings back in alarm caught off guard. More then half the caves inhabitances cleared the area into the other caverns as my eyes glared at the poor frightened flying type.

"I'm…I'm just… telling you what I was told and seen. It might not have been him, plenty of humans must have Flygons right? And its raining hard, I… I didn't get that good of a look at him." She stumbled back into Celebi who gave me a glare of his own. It had been a few decades since the last time I had lost my temper like this. Just another reason I wanted nothing to do with that human. It seemed every time I ran into him I reverted back a little bit to what I was before coming to this forest. I ignored the Psychic for a moment.

"You have keen eye don't you? The ability you're so proud of? The rain shouldn't be a problem for you at all." I growled advancing slowly. "Tell me was it him or not?" The Wingull shot darting glances around the cave and flapped her wings nervously. Celebi nudged her a little which seemed to calm her a bit.

"Ok, ok it was him. He was still at the pokemon center when I left. No one I spoke to said anything about him being in the forest, just flying over it." she gulped, flapped her wings and took off into one of the other caves. I made to follow her but Celebi in his infinite wisdom hovered in front of me not moving. He should know better than to mess with me when I must be visible pulsating in anger.

"So what if it is him Tyth? He hasn't entered the forest; you never said he couldn't go to the town, just the forest." I twitched and my claws bit into the hard rock.

"How do you know what I said to him?" I can't say which expression was more infuriating, his defiant glare or the sheepish manner in which he backed away. I let his actions answer for him. "You were there!" I screamed. I left permanent gouges in the rock as I leaped toward him.

The next several minutes must have appeared as an awkward sort of dance to any outsider as I chased Celebi around the cave attempting to inflict grievous injury unto him. For his part I doubt that he took it seriously. Every twirl and zigzag and loop infuriated me more, as they kept him just out of my reach. I leaped at him again and landed on the ground with a solid thunk on my stomach.

My back leg was wrapped up tight in vines that were very rapidly taking hold on the rest of my body. I struggled but the vines filled most of the cavern now, how I missed them chasing the Psychic brat I don't' know. I lay on the hard rock ground each limb spread out much how the Shinx cub had been, bound tight in vines within minutes. Celebi looked smug but apologetic as he floated down.

"I don't see why you're so angry at the Ranger Tyth. He's done nothing but help this forest and you out."

"Don't see? Don't see!" I hissed out between clenched teeth, "People blame me for disasters, but every time I've had anything to do with that human things go wrong! The fire, which I didn't sense until after he was in the forest, him being injured, then the simple task of returning his stupid contraption goes to the reverse world. I have a right to be mad. I know disasters when I see one and he is a disaster." I glowered at him as he seemed to contemplate my words. Though it was unlikely. That face normally meant he was plotting against me.

"You have a couple of valid points, but your biased. Those things could all be coincidences, and you were bound to run into a little resistance going over there." Celebi responded with a shrug.

"Somehow I seriously doubt this is all coincidence. As for biased I know I am." I glared at him with a smirk to my lips. He hated when I acknowledged faults about myself because it gave him less material to bribe and or bug me with.

"I don't see any connecting threads here that should lead you to the conclusion that…"

"Well I do! You helped Zorua get here knowing I would protect him from the human chasing him which just so happened to be the Ranger, then when said human is knocked out you just happen to find his metal contraption, and just don't happen to give it back. Then you con, CON me into taking the damn thing back to him. The connecting threads I'm seeing in all of this is you!" I interrupted with heat in my voice.

The Psychic looked down sheepishly, " I didn't think you would… get it so fast."

"How long having you been annoying me now?"

He didn't grace that comment with a direct response. "Look you've been out in the rain for a couple of days now. Zorua and I have gathered some food for you so…" Instead he redirected my thoughts to food, at which my stomach grumbled.

I sighed and relaxed in the vines. "Your off the hook this time, but if I catch you in the act again, I don't care what Arceus does to me."

Celebi recalled the vines moving off to a smaller offshoot of the caves. I followed and the other pokemon once again filled the space glad, for the moment that the Legendary and I weren't going to attempt to kill each other for a while.

The narrow passage Celebi lead me down was right off to the right side of the entrance to the system, and it descended down a few hundred feet before opening into a small pocket within the rock. My home. It been a while since I'd been here though. When we entered the Zorua was trying to use foxfire to light some kindling in the center of the space.

I'd chosen this particular cave to be my den for the fact that there was air flow through it meaning that I could have a fire and not worry to much about suffocating myself. The fox pouted when his last attempt failed and he only produced a few small sparks.

I took pity of the little guy and blew a few embers into the kindling. The taste of soot in my mouth was unpleasant but better than the burns I normally got. The material caught quickly and filled the cave with orange light. In the far back was my bedding material, which sorely needed replacing, and around the edges were bits and pieces of various things I had been given by other pokemon or collected myself. Interestingly colored stones, several evolution stones of various types, branches that had been carved, glass jars filled with smaller objects. Zorua looked around fascinated as Celebi brought forward a basket filled with various fruits.

We ate in silence for the better part of half an hour as I let it slide that the human was back. As long as he stayed in town I really couldn't do anything anyway. Zorua was the one to break the stillness giddy with excitement. I had to commend him for holding back so long. Maybe something could be done with him after all.

"That fight was sooo cool!" He bounced in place. Maybe not. "I've never seen either of you fight anyone and then to see, to see you guys go at each other like that. WOW! Just wow!" His tale wagged behind him. It kept him from falling face first due to his excitement.

Celebi spoke first. "It's not something to be proud of Zor." He said sadly studying the berry in his hands, "Fighting is a last resort." I nudged him with my nose.

"True. Fighting is not the ideal course but it can't be avoided all the time. You should know this with me by know Celebi. As for it being cool. No, no it wasn't." My response was quiet but Zorua looked at me with wide eyes.

"But you both are so gracefully at it, I can help but think about how cool it looked." Zorua's excitement had settled a bit at our somberness but his eyes shone with mirth.

"Cool to remember but you were cowering back here during it."

"Don't insult him Tyth. You are something to see when you move." light came back into the psychic's eyes as he teased.

"I was stating a fact you floating pile of grass." I shot back but with no venom. The two laughed and I sighed. Somehow I had gone from one annoying younger like brother, who I didn't want in the first place, to two overnight. Though I wouldn't deny that I liked their company.

I was on my third kiwi, it takes a long time to eat them when you take the time to peel them, when I felt prickles all over my blade. The fire disappeared to a black and white view of the harbor and the storm cast sea. My sight turned from the water toward the mountain. Just in time to catch half the face of the it break away from the rest and rush tumbling down through the town. Then just as suddenly my eyes were once again focused on the fire.

"Tyth?" Zorua asked concerned. His wide eyes filled with curiosity and worry. Since he hadn't experienced one of my visions first hand.

"I'm ok. I just need to go talk to someone. I'll see you guys later. Celebi can you let me know if any one needs me?" The psychic nodded looking at me with concern as well. My fur must have paled or something, but they both asked no questions and let me leave.

The rain abused the ground. My paws sank into the mud nearly completely when I reached the dirt path, or as it was now the mud river. I took my time to get down the mountain, sliding most of the way when a proper foot hold wasn't available.

The tree line wasn't much better. There were standing shallow lakes of water now in the lower areas and nothing but dark mud in the higher. I should have talked with him earlier. To get through this I used a very low powered ice beam, freezing the ground just enough to be able to run on it.

Human voices rose through the rain as I got closer to the town. Every instinct I had to turn and run parallel to the cesspool swelled within me. On patrol that would be my normal path, but it would get me nowhere near the harbor. The town took shape in the rain. I slowed down, and stopped icing the waters surface. I sank a good five inches into the mud, but it didn't hold onto my paws so I was able to walk through it the pounding of the rain covering any sound I might have made.

The first building I came to was half sunk in the destabilized earth, though to my disappointment no humans lived in it currently. It was too close to the forest. I cautiously made my way around the building getting my bearings. The pokemon center should be almost directly across town from me, meaning that the buildings the humans used to store things, next to the harbor should be down to my left. But I couldn't go the direct path. The humans had put in a loud wailing thing along the edge of town to alert them to any pokemon or trespassers trying to get to the store houses from that side of the forest. That only left going through town.

I slunk through the alleys between the houses sticking to the heavier shadows. The humans where running around like Spinda's who had somehow gotten confused. Some were shouting orders that got eaten by the rain almost immediately; others were moving bags round for what seemed to be no logical reason. Though their bumbling around made it difficult to move without being seen. Turning a corner I stopped and crouched. Only one human was on this street and he was getting up from the ground where it looked like he had fallen. I didn't know what the rest of the town looked like in terms of the humans activity but the longer I stayed on the ground the higher the chances I would be caught rose.

I dug my claws into the mud getting as much traction as I could and launched myself out of the alley toward the human. He turned toward me just in time for me to use his shoulders as a spring board onto the roof. I had to hold back a laugh at the look on his face as my front paws connected with his shoulders. A mix of confusion, horror, and bafflement decorated it. There was a squishy thud as I landed on the roof. The human was face up in the mud, clearly unconscious. Since there was no risk of him suffering a drowning death I went on.

The town was arranged simply. The pokemon center, was near the forest path that a few new trainers and other travelers took. Before they had destroyed the mountain that road had been used more often and it's the only way now for humans to go through the forest. The road continued on from there and it was maybe a dozen yards before the first house was placed. All the buildings except the pokemon center and the harbor buildings made a circle around the central square that they used as a market.

Like the Center the harbor was several yards from the rest of the town. I would have been able to make the jump on a clear night, but too many humans scurried about below me when I came to the last building, the house I believe the idiot who keeps trying to enter the forest lives, no amount of rain could wash away that scent. Added to that I'm not sure how much traction I would have gotten with all the mud and rain. So I moved back a building and waited for the human filling one of those bags to leave before jumping down.

The ground was a bit firmer here, the buildings catching most of the rain. I waited again in the shadows until the road was devoid of humans, or at least humans looking my way. I chanced a quick attack to get me across the span between the main buildings and harbor without being seen. The door to the first store building was opened just a crack. I assumed that the humans had been gathering supplies from it often so left it open.

I weaved my way into the shadows and followed the edge of the building around to the side that faced the pier. The water continually washed over the boards of the pier and it swayed with the waves, not in an up and down motion but side to side. It looked ready to fall down. This would be a pain had I not already been drenched.

With no sign of any of the humans near by I sprinted from cover and down the pier using a shadow claw to keep me on the rocking boards. The sea level had risen during the storm and the swells attempted to pull my feet out from under me. I sank my claws deeper into the wood, hoping that the pier, if it collapsed, wouldn't do so while I was on it.

At the end of the pier I sat a few seconds waiting, watching the rhythm of the swells. As the waves pulled away from the dock, I let loose a Water Pulse into the coming wave. The attack itself wouldn't do anything but the percussion wave that followed should carry far enough underwater for Kyogre to hear. A minute passed then another. The pier rose and fell and rocked beneath me. If anything my legs were getting a work out trying to keep me balanced, and I would feel it later.

As I was contemplating sending another pulse into the water the entire sea seemed to heave upward. The boards beneath me groaned in protest already well past their stress point. I had to back up a few steps as the planks at the end lost their fight to hold on and were carried away by the next wave of water. The water continued to push upward and the resulting wave crashed over me pushing me back along the pier, my claws kept me from being swept away into the town. Oh yes I would be feeling this later. When I regained sight, Kyogre lay on the surface of the water gazing at me.

"Why have you called me up to the surface young one?" His voice boomed through the rain. I fought the urge to cover my ears.

"I called you to ask you to move on. The mountain can't take any more rain." I struggled to yell over the thunder that rumbled through the area. It seemed that he growled for a long moment before speaking again.

"I see. A vision then young one?" He asked, his tone questioning.

"Yes, Kyogre. The mountain collapsing, as I stood here in the dark evening." I hoped he would understand. One mountain may not matter to him, as much as it did to Groudon. The massive water type calmly rode on the top of the coming waves for several minutes in silence, while the storm grew more fierce around us.

"I think that it is time for me to move on. Thank you for letting me rest in these waters, young one." He tilted his head toward me, sending a small wave over me and submerged. The rain began to lighten almost immediately, though lightning and thunder still clashed in the sky.

It would be another several hours before the whole storm cleared up, and several hours of worry and asking the Aggron's and other steel and rock types to bare with the mud and help make sure the mountain is as stable as it could be. I sighed and turned intent on getting back, there was massive amounts of work to be done.

I didn't notice him at first, tucked up against the building like he was but the movement of one of his arms, the one I'm sure his contraption sits on, and the Furret in an otherwise still shadow pulled my sight towards them. I thought at first that it was one of the humans of the town who had been in the building to get something and had stopped when they had seen me, or Kyogre, but the Rangers shape was sadly too familiar. I wanted, oh so badly, to slice him up and let Giritina piece him back together but he wasn't in the forest. I growled and started my way off the dock as more waves greedily took more of the planks.

A warning was in order I thought as his eyes never left me and he seemed frozen to his spot, only the Furret twitched now and then. I took deliberately slow steps toward him keeping my shadow claw going, the dark purple aura claws gouged deep tracks into the soft mud. He took a step back as I approached the thing at his wrist clicked. I stopped right in front of him, tilting my head enough to glare at him under my blade.

We stood that way only for a few seconds but I could feel the two of them tensing. Then as if realizing that tension for them, a massive bolt of lightning crashed through the clouds striking a tall pole on one of the store houses. I swung my head, my blade barely nicking his cloth covering and used a small dose of extreme speed to get back into town.

I didn't look back as I once again ascended the rooftops. I couldn't chance being seen now that the rain was starting to let up. I paused briefly to get my bearings on top of the mayors house and caught a glimpse of the human that terrorized the mountain the most leave through what I believe was the back door. It appeared he was headed toward the area of the forest the humans had set up the device that screamed whenever something got to close to it. Maybe the ranger had set it off. A good dose of paranoia told me to follow the human, but the rain was getting even lighter now and if the human released any of his remaining pokemon while I was in town they would know I was here. So ignoring my gut I went the opposite way deciding to stop by the pokemon center and see if the Joy's knew why the ranger was here.

I got to the center without any complications. A Torkoal was outside now that the rain had stopped using heat wave to dry out the mud around the center.

"Hello Tyth." It said in a slow voice blasting another section in blistering heat. Steam rose from the baking ground, "back doors open if you need to talk to the Joy's."

"Thanks Tork." I gave him a playful nudge with my nose and darted to the back of the center. Celesta Joy was stocking one of the shelves when I walked through the door. Her Chancey form several inches too short for the shelf she was trying to reach.

"Need a hand…or paw?" I ask causing her to jump and drop the box she was trying to get on the shelf.

"Tyth! Don't do that!… and yes that would be nice." She stepped out of the way picking up the things that had come out of the box.

I took the box from her gently with my teeth and stepped over to the shelves. I perched on my hind legs, rising up to my full standing height placing to place the box on the shelf.

"Thank you Tyth." Celesta said after all my paws were on the ground. "Can I help you with anything?" she asked now, pulling supplies off the lower shelves to take to the patient rooms.

"Was just wondering if you or the others knew why the ranger was here." I responded casually pushing over a larger box at her signal.

"You wanting to know about a human?" she placed her hand over her egg pouch in an exagge

rated manner. " Arceus please let the world still be standing." I glared and gave her a warning growl.

"He was in the forest during the fire and now he's back. I don't need him becoming a recurring nightmare. He's bad luck as it is." I huffed knowing the glare wouldn't do anything. Sometimes I hated knowing these Chancey sisters.

"Yes I know that," she put the last things on the cart, "the fire part, not the bad luck part." she finished, "Gossip-Gull makes her rounds here as well, also heard you went to him to return an item of his." her voice took on a sickly sweet teasing tone.

"I thought you were more mature then that Celesta." I said in a flat tone. She was the youngest of her sisters, putting her about mid-teens in the human age scale.

"Oh come on Tyth. Think about how it seems. You hate humans and this ranger shows up, you let him stay in the forest while he heals, and then you take something of his back to him." she pushed the cart into the hall and came back smiling.

"Just tell me why he is here."

"Fine, fine, have it your way, miss no romantic ideology at all. I wasn't the one to talk with him, it was Sol. But from what she told Luna and me he was here investigating the mayors family. Trying to get evidence to charge them with something or other." she explained with a huff.

"Thanks." I rose and heading back toward the door, wishing I could intervene inside the town.

"Tyth… Tyth…" I paused. "if you want my opinion at all, I think he's here to help the mountain, here to help you… I would let him help" she softly pleaded.

I started walking again, my tail slashing back and forth violently. "Last time I trusted a human enough to let them help I got my brother killed." I dashed out, hating the fact it had stopped raining.

Once back in among the trees I calmed down a bit. Though I couldn't help the memories welling up. Sixty odd years and the pain was still fresh. I shook my head. No use bringing it up anymore then necessary.

I went back up the mountain. I hadn't had a vision yet but mud slides were inevitable, and getting the rock and ground types working on stabilizing the ground had to be done. That meant getting a meeting with Aurum, the gold Aggron that was the undisputed leader of the ground, rock and steel types that lived on or in the mountain. I sighed. First check on the cave and then get one of the Steelixes to take me down to see Aurum. At least I know what I'm going to be doing the rest of the day.

The first vision was mild as were the next few, but as the day worn tiredly on they grew from simple tingles of my blade to debilitating needles of pain. The worst part about them was I couldn't do anything yet. The slides hadn't started and with the mountains pokemon shoring up and stabilizing the ground, I couldn't see how they would be triggered. No matter what I changed the visions kept coming. By shear process of elimination the only cause left lay with the humans. That raised a growl deep in my throat which startled the Zorua who was on my back helping me search for stragglers.

"Tyth?" he asked curious, that caused the growl to dampen as I sat down letting him off.

"Just something I need to check into. You can keeping looking but don't take any risks that could get you into trouble you understand me?" He nodded and I headed off back to the town.

I took off around the perimeter of the town, seeking the scent of any humans that may have ventured into the forest when they noticed the lack of pokemon in the trees. Two trails caught my attention as I got closer to the storehouses, both of which left me growling. The first was the male human that continually makes attacks on the forest, the other was the ranger. I growled low and followed the scents.

They had trekked a good way into the trees before I caught up with them. From what I could see the ranger was stalking the other one as the other one went into one of the few open mine shafts still near the town. It didn't go far but it could still be problematic. The ranger followed the other in several minutes later. I waited, drawing closer to the mine opening.

There was a swift change in pressure around the entrance to the tunnel. I tensed. Few attacks caused a depression in the surrounding area's atmosphere. There was mumbled shouting from the darkness of the tunnel as the pressure went back to normal. My blade however twitched and my fur bristled. A hollow concussion sound exited the tunnel, vaguely reminding me of a head butt attack. I stepped forward preparing to venture into the tunnel. I dislike human's especially those two but if they were having a battle the tunnel was liable to collapse in on them.

Before I could make it to the entrance there was a definite explosion and a body came sailing through the air at high speeds on the shockwave of the blast. It hit a tree a dozen yards away maybe more cracking the tree before falling to the ground.

"You….mo..ther…fuck..er." the human shape growled out before slumping over unconscious.

My focus shifted when the pressure changed again. There was clear laughter from inside the tunnel as wisps of smoke trailed up into the air from the entrance..

This time the pressure change didn't go away but built and by the time I realized that the other human had used earthquake the whole area was vibrating. Several visions happened at once drilling my mind painfully. The earthquake had been the trigger. I was frozen in surprise, beginning to tear into myself for not entering the tunnel. The bastard would not have been able to do anything had I gotten my claws into him. If it wasn't for the shimmering grayness at the edges of my vision I would have charged in there, Arceus be damned.

I turned to dash back into the forest pausing only to check to see if the ranger was dead or not. I put an ear to his chest, the cloth of his covering though torn was soft against my face, and felt his chest rise shallowly and heard his lungs struggle to pull in air. I sighed and did a small heal pulse, my paw glowing green as I placed it on his chest. My own breathing became labored as his evened out. What I was doing I had no idea. The feeling of meeting him again was as sharp a sensation as it had been when I returned his disk, confusing me, no human was worth this. The healing done and my own energy reserves lowered I left heading up the mountain.

The next several hours were spent constantly running. I couldn't pause. Slides were happening all over the mountain simultaneously. I was glad that I had had the pokemon preparing for this or else many more then the dozen so far would have been lost. I bit back the regret at their deaths such would not help me now as I raced to stop a boulder from crashing into a group of pokemon being led by a Hitmonlee.

I run up a falling tree, launching into the air as the Hitmonlee prepared a brick break to combat the smaller debris. I sailed over them my claws taking on the distinctive purple of shadow claw as I came down on the boulder slicing it in to many smaller pieces. The pokemon gave a cheer and the Himonlee waved me off.

My feet hit the muddy and moving ground my speed keeping me aloft as I follow my vision to the next destination unable to pause less more lives be lost. The next situation was more dubious. Two Vulpix's were caught under a fallen tree that once probably lead to the safety of their families den. It looked like one slide had already passed them but left them unable to leave and other was baring down on the den.

I hold my position in front of the den rapidly searching through my options, which were few and far between. I growled at the oncoming torrent of mud, rocks, trees and other material the slide had picked up. It was then I noticed an outcropping of rock off to the side of us. It was still standing despite the slides and earthquake. I took a breath. It was my only shot but the odds of it working were slim as I hadn't been able to completely handle the rock slide attack before this point. I focused on the rock knowing every second I wasted was another second that the slides leading edge came closer.

It took all my energy to move the rock in a weak uncontrolled rock slide attack toward me and the den. The Vulpix's cried out. Because of my concentration I couldn't move fast enough as the rock finally came crashing down. A large boulder caught me in the shoulders, knocking me into the ground hard. It however was enough to divert the slide past the den.

It took minutes to push the boulder off of me as the Vulpix's cried out asking if I was ok. When it finally rolled of me, nearly dislocating my shoulder I turned my attention to the den. The rocks I had pulled down wouldn't last long against the onslaught of mud. The two Vulpix's I could see were too young to know any fire attacks yet, though I was unsure in it was just them in there or the rest of their litter as well. I sent embers at the fallen tree and branches. It took several seconds for the water soaked wood to dry enough to catch on fire and break up enough for them to get out.

To my surprise six young Vulpix's came out supporting their injured Ninetails father. He looked up at me with a sad smile.

"Thank you Gaurdian. I was beginning to think that I would lose my children as well as my mate this year."

"You do not need to thank me Firestorm, you know that." I spoke truthfully. As I watched his kits lead him from the den. He had lost his mate this last winter to illness that not even the center could cure, his kits were all he had left. "let me help you all back to the caves, Celebi and the other healers will be able to look at you. Here help you father on to my back."

"No Guardian, your back… The boulder… I could not burden you in such a way." he pleaded even as his kits pulled him gently to me.

"Do not worry about that Firestorm. If something happens to you what becomes of your children?" he looked away and let his kits settle him on my back. Which screamed at me but I forced the pain from my mind. I still had duties to perform.

"I am in your debt Guardian Tyth." he whispered quietly to me as we started off back to the caves.

It took about an hour to get to the caves from where the den had been, with having to avoid more trouble, walking slowly enough for the kits to keep up and me having to stop and put Firestorm down to go help another group. But we got there and in one piece as well. I took the lower route into the caves of the mountain instead of the higher one not thinking that the kits, already exhausted, could handle the climb. As we approached I called out to Celebi for assistance through a metal link we had formed.

He came out rapidly followed by a couple of Chancey and Audino that served as the healers in the forest, at least the ones that were in these caves. They took Firestorm from me and Celebi levitated the kits to follow, though he did send me a questioning glance at me as I leaped up the rocks meaning to check in the upper caves and visible winced at the jolt it sent through my paws to my shoulders and back.

There was something off when I got back up to the cave. Two familiar but foreign scents gathered at the entrance. I slowly made my way down the tunnel of rock stopping when I saw the tail of a flygon in front of me. I waited as voices carried out of the first cavern.

"Are you sure that this cave is safe from the slides? An earthquake did trigger them in the first place." the speaker was male and the smell indicated a Lucario.

"There's no way this systems doing anywhere, Aurums made clear sure of that." A gruffer voice responded, Hariyama by the sounds of it.

" And their parents?" a female voice sounded this time, and the Flygon's tail twitched.

"Either here or in one of 'em other safe caves. This mountain is littered with'em. And the guardian called a full evacuation several days ago, foreseeing something like this as she does. Until they can be located there are plenty to do the looking after. You can leave." the Hariyama said his voice growing cross.

"We can leave the cave but not the mountain there are still others out there that need help as these two can attest to." the Lucario proclaimed. It then clicked to who these two were. They were with that human Enishi, "is it alright if we bring others we find back here?" He finished.

I prowled into the cave sticking to the shadows. Before Hariyama were two small ones, a Growlith and Clefairy and standing in front of them were the Ranger's Lucario and Flygon though in the low entrance the latter was hunched over barely fitting in the space.

"You can tell your human things are being handled." I held my infuriated tone calm and unwavering. Both of the unwelcome guests jumped at my voice. Hariyama bowed and the two small ones rushed toward me.

"It was our fault guardian!" they rang out in unison. "The rain stopped and we had been inside so long" I bowed and nuzzled both of them.

"I understand that but think of what your parents are thinking at this moment." their heads hung.

"We're sorry guardian." they shuffled back so they were behind Hariyama.

"Being handled? Those two are only a couple of the pokemon out there that need help." the Lucario stated fists clenching.

"There are rock, ground and steel types all over the mountain scouting for stragglers and stabilizing the earth. And the ones that are in critical danger have been seen and will be handled." My voice dropped. This was the problem with rangers, they never once believed that the pokemon they were trying to help had a plan of their own. Though admittedly this was the first one I had seen that had his own team of pokemon.

"We know that trust me. We've seen them on our way up here and Bullet's probably dealt with a few while stabilizing the ground. However we are here and we are going to continue to help. We are going to make sure that everyone is safe." The Lucario paused a brief moment thinking, " Enishi's even made a safe area with the help of our own earth mover.."

"Making sure everyone's safe? Is that what your human calls making that 'safe area' over an unstable cavern? One small after shock is all it needs for that so called safe area to collapse in about a hundred feet and every one of those pokemon your human 'saved' will be buried alive." I seethed my temper finally breaking my control.

The Lucario took a step back a look of deep concentration. "Bullet never gets things like that wrong, Enishi even more so. If those two said the ground there was safe it is and I don't appreciate you insulting them in such a way." The Lucario's aura began to flare out in a protective manner, at the same time the Flygon began growling.

"A decade ago that area may have been safe, a decade ago. That Aron hasn't been back to this mountain in a long time and things change around here quite quickly. And it was a prediction nothing more." I hissed out stepping forward, my fur brisling. "Now I think that Hariyama asked you to leave and I've told you to do so." the Flygon responded first turning her head toward the Lucario.

"Animus we need to tell Bullet this information, even if it is untrue. Better to be prepared for that scenario as well." The Flygon said in a somewhat high melodic voice.

"Hai Soramoyou. Look Tyth we are just trying to help you out here, Enishi is just trying to help you out here. You can trust him, he wants nothing more than to help. Believe me, I've known him most of his life and that all he does, is help." The Lucario pleaded his aura flaring up in what I only assume was to be a soothing manner. As he walked back to stand with the Flygon, who had begun to inch backwards out of the cave.

I blinked slightly shocked that they knew my name before realizing the Joys probably told them this just pushed my fury over its breaking point. "What's with everyone telling me that today! I don't care. I will not trust that human or any other for that matter. Every single one I've ever meet, has turned against me or other pokemon no matter what they preached beforehand. Humans are unreliable mongrels who have forgotten their origins." I seethed. "So you can tell your human that he better get off the mountain or I swear to Acreus and will accept my punishment from her, I will kill him. Got that Lucario?"

The Lucario growled and turned his back. "He wont leave, not until he's done his duty, until we've done our duty. The duty YOU claim he doesn't know. DO you really think you're the first to threaten him with death? The only reason and I mean the only reason he is worried about you is because of the fact that you keep hindering his attempts to help this forest in stopping the town from attacking it. Keep that in mind Tyth, his intentions lay only in helping this forest, your forest. Now if you'll excuse us, Soramoyou and I have to get back in the air and relate this information to Bullet and Enishi." The now seething Lucario followed the Flygon out, punching the wall in the tunnel leaving a fairly large hole behind. I have the distinct feeling that rock had the unpleasant pleasure of being a substitute for me.

Over the small rain of rocks I heard the Flygon speak again. "Calm yourself Animus, being aggravated at her for being unmovable will not help us with this mission." there was a rush of air that had a hint of someone singing to it that cut off whatever the Lucario responded with.

I stared at the opening of the cavern boiling over in rage, for second time that day, the second time over that stupid human. The tension wasn't doing anything to dull the pain in my back which was now throbbing angrily at me.

"Any orders concerning that human Guardian?" Hariyama asked while showing the two youngsters into the other caverns.

"Leave him be and see if any can be spared to start bring those in his Aron's safe area here, also let his pokemon bring rescues here as well." I sighed bitterly pushing my resentment of the ranger out and thinking the situation through.

"Guardian?" Hariyama asked clearly surprised as I began to walk out again.

"We need the help and I'm not going to let others get hurt by forcing that human off the mountain." I begrudgingly admitted for the sake of making sure everyone was safe.

"I understand." He and the two youngsters disappeared into the interior of the caves.

I stood once again at the edge of the cliff that looked over most of the mountain. My heart wept for the destruction I was seeing. The area the fire had hit was nothing more then a large swatch of mud and debris. Other sections I could see were doing no better. In a few short hours and because of one damned human the mountain was screaming again. Dieing again. I let out a pained howl that was continued and echoed by others, even the mountain itself seemed to cry with us.

With no time for actual tears I began my decent my blade already tingling again pointing me to my next destination, then the next. I caught sight of the ranger a few times as he reached those in danger first. I left him be. The work was too important to squabble with him and the mountain was pulsing beneath my feet, its pulse quickening. Something big was on its way and I didn't like the way the mountain cried out with every slide and every injured life.

After getting an injured Samurott with the help of his brother and the protest of my back, to the caves, I paused only to get a drink when my vision went black and white and the cave dissolved into a part of the forest. There were brief flashes of movement. A Machamp stopping rocks and boulders from hitting a group of pokemon behind it. The Ranger saving a Chingling from a oncoming boulder. Him and the Machamp doing a fairly good job at diverting the rocks crashing down. Then some sound pulls the rangers focus away and the next flash has him catching a full grown tree on his back. Even without sound I could hear the cracking as his diminutive frame took the weight to keep it from landing on the pokemon behind the Machamp. Then another flash. The Chingling lay crushed by a boulder bouncing its way down the mountain.

Color bled slowly back into my vision revealing the cave wall I had been staring at. I turned from the small pool without taking a drink and dashed out and down the face of the cliff. Several of the pokemon in the cave stared after me concerned.

It took longer than it should have to get to the location and by the time I did the Ranger was already bearing the weight of the tree and it looked like his right arm had been injured in some way as he waved it around with the support of his left, looking utterly ridiculous I might add. I had a passing thought to tell him so but I could hear cracking from his direction and it wasn't from the tree and a disc followed the movement of the flapping arm breaking up rocks and boulders. I used the falling rocks to get myself closer, pushing them out of the way as I jumped between them.

I heard him call out for assistance from one of his pokemon which slightly confused me as none were around. I heard the screamed "no" just as my eyes landed on the Chingling. Without hesitation I rushed forth jumping boulders with extreme speed to get to the small pokemon in time.

Its bell struck a sharp and high pitch in fright as it watched the boulder come down on it. I stopped for a second to get the small pokemon into my mouth without crushing it before jumping out of the way. Just in time as the boulder exploded into tiny fragments as it hit the ground the result of the Ranger's disc hitting it seconds to late.

I stopped next to the Machamp opening my mouth to let the Chingling out. I sprang back to my feet moments later as lightning struck down near the Ranger breaking up the tree within the space of a blink. I snarled at him looking around for the source of the attack. It had come dangerously close to the group the Machamp was protecting, and if the human had done it just to get free without thought to the pokemon near him I'd put another tree on top of him.

He winced as he stood up straight and spoke out loud, saying something about having authorized destruction level two and being slammed into the ground. I looked around trying to see who he had spoken to, seeing no one I began growling again. This human was extremely confusing and I didn't like him one bit.

He snapped his head toward me his own glare leveled at me. "Oh shut up Tyth, I'm not doing anything other than scheduling an appointment with my chiropractor to have a look at my back." he bit out looking at the contraption on his wrist a few minutes.

I stopped growling and blinked sitting down. It had been over fifty years since anyone ordered me to do anything and here I was listening to the human. Though the chiropractor word confused me, causing me to tilt my head slightly curious.

He continued, "So stop growling at me and perhaps take this group to safety, or go where you are needed, much like I'm going to now." and began walking off, dusting splinters off his clothes. One order was my limit.

"Save your words human, it's your fault you didn't think and got caught under that tree in the first place. And what I do is none of your business." I answered him back, not that he could understand me but it felt necessary. I hated getting orders.

The Chingling shook angrily. "Guardian he helped us, why are you angry with him!" the small pokemon hung in front of my face, "and that tree landed on him cause he saved Jigglepuff." the bell pokemon puffed up and tried to glare at me.

"I really don't care about the circumstances, and I do realize that he helped you. You can like him if you wish, but I will not." I turned to the Machamp who had picked up a couple of the pokemon who had been injured. "A path has been cleared a little to the southeast of here, should be stable all the way to the caves." I explained to the Muscled pokemon moving on, confident that he could get them safely up the mountain. He nodded and started down to the path, the Chingling sitting on his head sticking its tongue out at me.

I waited in the area an hour or so to see if I was going to be needed anywhere before heading back to my den. I kind of hoped that there was still some fruit left as I started to feel the fatigue of the day settling in, especially with my back. The boulder had probably broke something and all the moving I've done since hasn't helped it any, though adrenalin has the lovely side effect of dulling pain.

I made my way slowly back up the mountain weary off actually stopping to rest but my stomach growled and my mouth tasted like I had eaten a Cottonee or had cotton spore set off in my face.

The first cavern was empty when I made my way to my den though I could hear loud chatter from the other caverns. Lucky for me my den was silent and the fox and floating brat had left me a few pieces of fruit and someone had kept the fire going.

I eased my way down, groaning as things popped that probably shouldn't pop. The ground was warm and the fruit had a sweet taste that took away the dryness of my mouth. With my blade silent and with no signs of it picking up on anything I contemplated taking a small nap. Even going so far as to lay my head down on my muddy paws taking the strain off my neck and back.

Though as always Celebi had prefect timing and came floating in just as I began to doze. "Hey Tyth I was wondering where you were, since I couldn't find you anywhere on the mountain." he settled down next to me.

"Can't I rest in peace?" I ask from my paws opening an eye to look at him.

"You rest? I think that lord Giritina has come to earth to count the souls." he placed a hand over his heart in an exaggerated manner.

"Har har brat, I mean it." I closed my eye again.

"I know you do, just checking on you, was worried when I couldn't feel you on the mountain, and I know you got a pretty bad injury from the boulder you stopped, helping Firestorm." he rambled floating once again, " and Gossip gull stopped by again saying that you had a confrontation with Enishi."

"Of course you mask your concern for the human with checking up on my health. How like you Celebi." I mumble out myself not really with any venom but as he hung silent for a few minutes I knew the words stung him.

"It's not like that Tyth. I am concerned about you, but I'm also worried that you're making a mistake about this human." his tone was pleading and apologetic.

"I didn't mean anything by it runt, I'm just tired. And for your information it wasn't a confrontation, I helped him out is all and then we parted ways. Nothing more." I huffed out not liking the legendary sounding so down. He sighed and I felt his stare on me.

"That's good to hear but you still hate him right?"

"You know the answer to that Celebi, so why ask." I lifted my head to look at him, my neck cracking painfully.

"Because I think your hatred is going to cause you to miss something good. And you need something good in your life Tyth." he pleaded again.

"With a human?" I stood staring at him too tired to be mad. "You know very well what I think about humans AND my reasons for it. The only thing I'm missing from that world is the abuse. I don't care how nice he seems or appears because I know behind that he's just as bad as all the others. They all are." I limp out of my den, no longer in the mood for rest.

I can't help but groan as my blade began to tingle as I left the cave. Biting down on my tongue to stop a very bitter remark from leaving my lips, I once again jump down the mountain slower than I'd like. The sun was low in the sky, peeking out from the clouds still lingering in the sky, when I reached my destination.

The area looked flooded with stones, rocks, and boulders from the earlier mud slide that turned into a rock slide from up the mountain. It took me several moments before I heard the cries of a distressed Hoothoot from under the rocks.

"He…l…p. ple…eas…e. h..elp…" came the faint voice from under me. It took several more minutes to pinpoint the exact location so I wouldn't hurt the Hoothoot and any others that may be down there.

"I'm here. Stay as still as possible!" I shouted to the rocks below me hoping that the flying type had heard me. I started digging at the rocks with a shadow claw. This pulverized the smaller rocks and let me get a grip on the larger ones as I dug down.

I paused briefly as the rocks become boulders the further I went down. My shadow claw at this point was just too weak to deal with these larger pieces of earth. So I jumped back a few steps and attacked them with several night slashes from my blade before going back down to dig out the rubble.

In the back of my mind I knew I should have gone an got help, but the slide had happened mid afternoon and with how deep they seemed to be trapped, I wasn't sure how long they had been down there. My visions only showed me things when a life was in danger not before.

I used the night slash several more times before that too became too weak to do much damage to the rock and I cursed, pacing back and forth thinking. I couldn't use any water attacks because that could drowned the pokemon down there, fire wouldn't work. My dark and ghost type attacks were useless as I began to tire. I wasn't at all confident in my earth moving moves. So I began attacking the rock with my bare claws until another idea occurred to me.

Time was ticking away quickly on me. I paused again catching my breath and grunting at the pain that throbbed from my front paws, my claws destroyed.

"Hoothoot, you still there can you answer me!" I shouted into the hole I had made stilling completely to hear a response.

"Yeah…re still…he…lax…isn't…doing…though." came the response faintly to the left, meaning that I wasn't directly on top of them. I nodded. A Snorlax was down there too probably taking most of the weight.

"I'm almost through to you guys, hold on just a little longer." I called back racking my brain trying to think of a way to get through the last boulders. At that moment for a brief second I wished the Ranger was there with that disc of his. The thought was banished quickly as a stupid one replaced it.

I'd only used Iron tail a couple of times in training with Aurum and it was decided that even if I could do it my tail wasn't strong enough to handle the force, but as they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. I took a few steps back from the hole and concentrated. In a few moments my tail began glowing white with a metal shine, but that wasn't enough so I forced more power to it and then still more, draining my reserves. As my legs began to shake I moved a few more steps back and crouched. Focusing I lunged forward jumping just as I got to the edge of the hole and flipped while in the air bringing my tail down with the force of a frigate train.

Several things happened at once. There was a violent explosion at the impact blowing me and rock out of the hole. At the same time a searing pain erupted from the end of my tail. I landed like a rag doll not far from the hole, immobile for several minutes. When I was able to see clearly and dumbly push my feet under me it took a minute to comprehend the Ranger and his Lucario pulling the Snorlax up from the pit, an unconscious Gloom, and Oshawott in its paws, and a Hoothoot hovering about them all.

I ignored my injury even though I could smell my own blood coming from my tail, and walked over to them.

"Are you guys ok?" I ask sitting down in an attempt to keep the world in place. "I'm ok Guardian," the Hoothoot replied landing as the Ranger checked on the three others. "Gloom and Oshawott should be ok to, I kinda knocked them out cause both started to panic and it was hurting Lax who was protecting us." She looked at the Snorlax with concern as the human continued to look him over. I looked to the Lucario.

"If the Flygon can lift the Snorlax's weight there are healers at the cave that can look at him." I was surprised by how clear and civil I sounded and by the looks of it he was as well.

The human asked the flagon she could life the weight and they worked out the logistics of the lift, though even with the desert pokemon using strength it would be a hard task. The Flygon's wings beat and their melody began, not nearly as smoothly as it naturally would, being far higher and scratchy in pitch as opposed to the soothing to the ear. That alone showed how much the Flygon strained, however the Snorlax was lifted into the air slowly and they began their accent up the mountain. Moments later, a sandstorm formed under the Flygon's wings, probably to give her extra lift to carry the Snorlax..

The Ranger then turned his attention to me which I noticed as I watched the Flygon fly with the Snorlax. "I know you don't trust humans, But can I at least look at your tail and stop the bleeding to make sure an infection doesn't set in?" he asked cautiously pulling out a med kit, like ones I had seen with the Joy's.

I looked at my tail shocked to find the almost half of it was missing, blood slowly seeping out of the jagged break. No wonder it had hurt so much, I mused. I thought a few moments, there was no way I could fix the injury myself and Celebi was going to kill me for it anyway. That and the pain was worse than the time I burned out the inside of my mouth with a flamethrower.

"Well what are you waiting for human?" I said after a few moments looking at him neutrally, though I did raise an eyebrow out of habit.

He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as he walked over to me saying, "For you to allow me near you without you killing me." in a muttered tone. He kneeled next to me opening the kit. The Lucario stayed back, though he watched with some tenseness.

He pulled out a needle and a small bottle filled with a liquid. I had been to the center enough to recognize the equipment, when he showed them to me.

"This is just to numb the pain nothing else." he said bringing the needle with the liquid in it to my tail. Despite what it looks like the material that makes up my tail, as well as my blade is soft, kind of like a humans nails, and only when it is sharp is it hard.

I dimly felt the needle sink into my shattered tail, a small addition to the pain, it wasn't until he pushed the liquid in that I really felt it and I hissed through clenched teeth ruined claws digging into the mud in an attempt to stop myself from lashing out at him. Oh how I wanted to bite his hand off in that moment.

Slowly the pain began to dull and I relaxed my grip on the ground, glad for the ability to think slightly clearly without the throbbing pain from my tail. The Ranger pulled out a tube with a lot of human writing all over it. He opened it pushing the white substance onto the ragged area of my tail carefully smearing it around with a cotton swab.

"This should stop you from getting an infection, and don't worry, I made sure this particular set of antibiotics were pharmaceutical, I remembered you're allergic to natural herbs." he explained putting the tube and swab away. I nodded twitching my tail slightly. "Now where did I put the high grade wrappings and bandages." he mumbled under his breath looking through the kit.

I couldn't help it, I rolled my eyes at him and muttered "stupid human" under my breath, but I remained still. As much as it killed me to do so. As long as Celebi didn't rub this in my face later I would deal with it.

"Could they possible be in the pocket labeled good bandages?" I asked sarcastically, aware the aura field was still going. I have to say it was a better tone then me growling his head off.

"Those bandages are for creatures, human or pokemon, that should be resting, and would be able to handle normal wear and tear. The ones I'm looking for are for creatures, such as you and me, that after getting injured, who should be resting, but go against their better instincts and the advice of others, and continue doing whatever it was that got them injured in the first place. And such are much more resilient. Ah ha!" the Ranger cheered and smirked as he pulling out the bandages from under everything else. I gave him a look that clearly read idiot as he turned to his Lucario.

"Remind me never to let Audino label my pack again." he called out to the steel fighter.

"And why would that be?" The Lucario responded.

"At least when Chancey labels them I can find everything, found the bandages in a pocket labeled 'Stupidity bandages.'" I shook my head at the Ranger's conversation.

"I don't know seems rather appropriate." His Lucario chuckled giving the human a hard time. From what I had seen from the human I had to agree with that assessment.

"Oh shut up." He grumbled as he applied the bandage and wrappings. "Ok there, that should hold till it's healed." The Rangers returned everything to the kit and closed it up standing back up. "I doubt you'll listen to a go rest, so I'll just ask that you please be careful. No need to injure it any more than it already is." he and the Lucario began walking away. I looked at the bandaging then back at him before jumping up the side of the cliff. I pause just when I know only the Lucario can hear me.

"Thank you…at least Celebi won't kill me for being reckless." I continue back up the mountain.

Instead of heading back up to the cave I went to the lake. Which at this point was more a mud hole then water hole. There were several water types removing the excess material from the body of water when I got there. Since it wasn't being done in a hurry or panic I went up on my rock and laid down, my body at the ends of its reserves.

The pain killer that the Ranger had given me was wearing off and the sting of the break was coming back, giving me a mild head ache. I dozed in the faint sunlight remaining, coming to whenever someone would come up to report in or to ask a question. I think Celebi dropped by a few times but I couldn't be sure.

Things grew still and despite people working below me and the occasional one or two coming up to talk with me, I slipped almost effortlessly into slumber. The next few hours were blissfully devoid of anything but darkness. I stirred only when I felt Celebi's presence looking over my tail.

"You know you shouldn't have done that." The Psychic said his voice solemn. I could never fake sleep around him.

Reluctantly I opened my eyes and stretched, coming to a sitting position. "Do what? Break up the rocks or let the human help me?" I replied sarcastically.

"You know what I mean. You knew your tail couldn't handle the force of an iron tail." he scolded green light enveloping the end of my broken tail where the bandages were. "I can't fix it beyond making sure it will heal correctly."

"That's all I would have asked for anyway Celebi. I know it could have been prevented but there were no other alternatives at that moment. Luckily it will grow back." he gave me a piercing look as he finished up with whatever it was he was doing to my tail.

"You're not indestructible Tyth, you need to think things…"

"I know I'm not indestructible but I act as I get the information, I'm not psychic and can't see the future. All I get is glimpses of events that are going to happen and will cause the death of someone before their time. Other than that I keep people that will do harm out of the forest. Those are my duties, you know that. And I do think things through; it's just that most of the time I'm left with only a few choices all of which hurt me or the one I'm trying to help." I explained. At least once every couple of years I had to tell Celebi this as he tended to think in terms of people and not the larger picture of things.

" I know but I don't think that your duties go so far as to kill yourself trying to help this forest." the grass Psychic worried crossing his arms.

"While Arceus saved my life, my life was not part of the agreement we made when I became the guardian here." I attempted to explain.

"By saving your life Arceus showed you that she valued it and she gave you this place so you could live, how's your life not part of the agreement!" Celebi shrieked at me.

"Because she saved my life without my agreeing to it. I was days maybe hours away from death when Arceus came to me when I collapsed just outside this territory. She asked if I wanted to be saved, I told her no. When she asked what I wanted, I told her I just wanted a home. She then explained the situation here and what she wanted me to do, if I accepted the agreement.

After I accepted the agreement she healed me, not before. It was not part of the deal. And I will protect this place until I can no longer pull air into my lungs because having a home is more important to me then my own life. I thought you would have realized this by now Celebi." I kept my gaze on him as he processed the information. I'd never told him the exact agreement, mainly because I couldn't remember it, nor the situation that lead to me to accept the agreement but then again he had never asked.

"I… I didn't know. I …I thought that you had agreed to protect the mountain because you would be saved. Knowing you now, you wanting a home over your life makes sense, but I still don't understand why you put so much into helping those that live here." he hang in the air limply, his head down and his eyes tearing up.

"Because that's the only way I know how to do things Celebi, I can't do something half way." I nuzzled him and stretched again. I was still sore and my back would dislike me for a while but thanks to Celebi my tail was no longer causing waves of pain.

He hugged me back holding on tightly to my neck. It was then I noticed the silhouette of a Pidgeoto coming over the trees towards us. I tap the Psychic's shoulder as the bird pokemon touches down in front of us. Celebi lets go hovering above my head.

"Guardian." The Pidgeoto bows and straightens. I incline my head. "The human that's been on the mountain all day might be in need of your assistance." the flying type fidgeted showing me that he had probably just recently evolved and didn't have the confidence that come with the larger form yet. Though he was a pretty good actor.

"How so?" I asked head tilted. I mean really he had five of his own pokemon to look after him.

"Umm he is stuck in a hole after a slide pushed him back into it. My sister and a Cynaquil she had been watching got stuck in it first and he helped them but, went back into it. I would have been here sooner but getting the Cynaquil back to its family was more important since we thought he could get out, but he's still down there." the Pigeoto rambled causing me to chuckle.

"He's stuck in a hole and can't get out?" even Celebi giggled a bit at that. "How deep is it?" I asked surely the human could get out of a hole right?

"I think the Center could fit in it height wise and be a little under the edge." the Pigeoto explained trying to make it clear. "I didn't fly down because of all the mud. Me and my sister were thinking after she got the mud off of her wings that we could lift him out but there's not enough room for the both of us to fully open our wings."

"Ok, how long has he been down there do you know?"

"Umm he got my Sister and the Cynaquil out just before sunset, so a few hours at least." he fluttered his wings a bit. "My sisters been watching him since he got her out and she seems to think he's injured somehow."

"Lead the way. Don't want him stuck here for the rest of his life do we." I said with a bit of sarcasm, as it seemed I just couldn't get rid of him.

It didn't take much time to get to the area. It was in what had been the burn zone, now only mud and broken trees covered the ground. The half-moon had started to rise so there was a bit of light to see by. I followed the Flying types silhouette to about the middle of the area were another Pidgeoto was sitting next to a fairly large pit.

"Still down there?" I asked looking over the edge to see the human sitting at the bottom rubbing his ankle. The Pidgeoto nodded at my rhetorical question. "Well thank you for letting me know, I'll get him up shortly you probably should go get the rest of the mud off of you."

The bird looked reluctant but nodded again and she and her brother took off with flapping of wings.

"You are definitely a walking disaster." I commented down the pit in human after the flying types took off. It felt strange using that language in this form but without the Lucario around I had no other choice. I laid down at the edge of the hole, only my head looking over the edge waiting for a response.

"You know it." was the Rangers strange reply. He didn't look up but froze for a moment before looking up and meeting my eyes. In the low light it was hard to tell but I think he paled some.

"I must of hit my head harder than I thought when I got thrown down here, or I'm still dreaming." He said in a grumbling sort of tone hanging his head before pinching himself. "Nope not dreaming." I chuckled dryly. His gaze once again landed on mine.

"So you can talk. I'm not going to ask why you have decided to talk to me now." He seemed content to lean against the wall of the pit as he messed with his arm. "How's the tail?" he called up after a few minutes.

"Healing" I said simply watching him. "Should I even ask why you haven't gotten out or do you just enjoy annoying me." I asked him more curious then angered after a short stretch of silence.

"The slide busted my ankle" was his own simple reply. "As for annoying you, with as fucked up as my life is, I rather like living. So I figured that avoiding annoying you is the fastest way to achieve the state of still breathing." He explained hand gestures included, "And Honestly, I had no plans to come into the forest today until circumstances forced my hand." He relaxed again waiting for my response. Though even from here I could tell it was a tensed relaxation.

I didn't respond right away. Opting instead to stand and begin to walking around the edge of the pit testing the strength of the ground. "A couple of Pigeoto, have asked me to get you out of this hole." I paused long enough to watch his face snap toward me again in an expression of disbelief.

"And I say leave me." he turned his head back to the ground, " I'm sure you have others in need. I'm able to stay down here for a while longer." He paused gazing passed me to the sky, muttering to himself.

"At the moment your the only one I know of." I respond tone even and flat sitting down again on the other side of the pit, where it slopped down slightly. I flexed my jaw trying to stretch it. Forming the human words kind of hurt.

"Must be running clean up then." The Ranger spoke just a bit louder letting me catch his words though what he was talking about was lost in me. He continued, "and I hardly count as an emergency. Just a human down a hole with a busted ankle." He waved he hand in a dismissive manner.

"In an area that is unstable. We are in the burn zone of the fire, you know." I tried to explain knowing he wouldn't budge. Did Celebi feel this type of exasperation when he talked to me I wondered.

He gave a whatever type of shrug, "Unstable or not, for the moment I'm safe and not in too much danger." His attention turned to the device on his arm which lit up and the beeped. He nodded at it, "And if I get buried, better me than a pokemon."

I gazed at him and stretched popping several joints. My back protesting the act with a sharp stab of pain as I sat back down. "And if you have no choice in the matter?" I asked watching his reaction.

"Choice? What choice are you talking about?" the ranger responded a little confused and on guard.

"Me getting you out of that hole." I didn't think that humans were this dense.

"And why would I not have a choice?" came the indigent rely followed quickly with, "Better yet, why would you help me, a human?" he finished messing with the thing on his arm again.

"Because I was asked to. By others who you have helped. I may not like humans, in fact I hate and detest your kind, but I don't let that interfere with my duties." I circled the pit again. Getting the two of us out of it would be tricky due to the fact that only one side was sloped.

"So I'm not the first human you've had to save huh?" He commented quietly barley loud enough for me to hear. "Anyways I must insist that you leave me here."

I was about to retort when my blade blazed with a burning sensation. Color bled from my vision like water blurring watercolors until everything was a shade of colorless grey. I hissed through my teeth, pawing at my blade as I put it against the real ground to stabilize myself. I became the witness to the slope we were on shifting and sliding down. The whole burned up and washed out hillside come down upon us. The Ranger was swallowed up in the deluge of mud. But that wasn't the end of the flashes of vision.

More came, flashes or cities, forests, mountains, deserts, more and more, each one burning my blade a little bit more. All in ruins, all because the Ranger wasn't there.

Distantly I hear someone call out, "Tyth! you ok?" and my eyes snap open clearing my vision just as a great forest goes up in flames. I looked up the hill scanning the ground, then back at Enishi. Why were humans so damned complicated. I jumped down and landed on the slopped side, sliding my way down.

"I'm perfectly fine." I growl out my head still buzzing a little as I get to the bottom.

The Ranger stumbled back landing on hard in the mud on his ass as he put weight on his busted ankle in surprise at my sudden arrival. A groan tried to escape from him but he managed to still it, before asking "Are you sure?"

"This is as fine as you will ever see me Ranger. Don't go pushing it." I looked at the walls thinking as I felt my blade begin to tingle again. "You better call the Lucario of yours however you do it." I sternly ordered picking a route to get back up with.

"Ok?" He questioned squeezing his eyebrows together though he did as told. There was a brief blue flare around him dim but I recognized it as aura before he asked, "Hey animus you there?" the Ranger paused for a moment head tilted as if listening to someone. "I'm being told to get a hold of you." Another pause as he looked my way. "Tyth." He grimaced with a shudder before saying, "How long till you can get to me?" Longer pause as he fidgeted.

Watching him this closely, it seemed like he was the type to strictly control himself in all situations, and his actions thus far had an exaggerated tone to them, like he wanted me to see them. "Ok." He said at last, "I've contacted him."

"Good, how long until he gets here?" I asked starting a shadow claw on all four paws slightly longer then my normal attack.

He gulped nervously, triggering the thing on his arm, "Animus, I need a more accurate time line." He said out loud watching me closely. His eyebrows knitted together again. "He says ten minutes."

"Reverse world" I cursed under my breath sitting down, "that's too long." I muttered scanning the slope again.

"Then get out of here." He ordered with a wave of his arm, recognition in his voice. "No need for whatever you saw to hit both of us."

"I can't do that human, its only avoidable if you get out of this pit." I said lowly a growl at the back of my throat, flexing my claws into the mud.

"Why? I haven't done that much for you to get buried down here saving my ass. Reverse world I couldn't even stop the reason behind these slides! The fucker blew me out of the mine shaft before I could." He retorted loudly. "Now go!"

I turned to look at him my red eyes glowing in the dark of the pit . "You cannot order me around Ranger. I do this because it is necessary. Now before we waste any more time, get on my back." I glared at him strengthen the shadow claw for the task ahead.

"And if I don't?" he asked even as he limped over. Alternative plans were flowing across his face rapidly.

"I will be sure to make your after life in the Reverse worse than being digested by Giritina himself!." I said facing back toward the slope so that my back was to him.

"Nothing new there, already cursed as it is." He grumbled, "so what do you want me to do?"

"Get on my back, arms round my neck and legs either hooked together under me or tight to my sides so your legs don't touch the ground." I say growing impatient with the human. I could feel the shifting of the ground, the mountain groaning in complaint. The hourglass of time ticking down to the slide was emptying faster and faster.

"Well sorry for making sure I didn't do another thing you didn't want me to." He grumbled back in sarcasm as he carefully got on my back. I felt him lock up on me securing himself. I fought with myself to not buck him off and relaxed a smidgen when he locked his arms just under my throat.

Once his weight settled on me I reanalyzed the jump. It would be close. I crouched low and shot up the slope. My claws digging deeply into the mud, we slide back a few feet before I made my next jump. As I landed the whole pit shook and my body tensed.

"Crap!" I heard the Ranger declare as the mountain cried out, rumbling around us. His tight grip on me began to loosen and I mentally snarled, two could play the stubborn game.

I dipped my head down sinking my teeth into one of his arms to keep him in place for this last jump, he cried out in pain. Despite his best intentions, being interred wasn't going to happen.

As I turned my head prepping for the next jump, across the pit, not up the slope, I could just make out the Lucario's ears as he ran toward the pit. I took a steadying breath and leaped. My chest impacted first, forcefully removing the air from my lungs as my paws fought for a grip in the soft mud.

"Animus!" the Ranger called out as my front claws got a hold. "Over Here!" the Lucario triggered extreme speed at the call blurring into sight every few yards.

I eased my grip on his arm, spitting it out entirely, focusing on putting more power into the shadow claw. I managed to inch up bit by bit as the Lucario yelled out " I've got you!" But despite his best efforts he wasn't fast enough. The ground behind him began to slide as he ran. The whole hill face detached and barreling down toward us.

The ranger began to wave one of his arms franticly as his legs tightened on me. He muttered under his breath but I couldn't make out the words over the grinding rock. The Lucario called out again diving and grabbing the Rangers hand, tugging to pull him up.

"Take him" I ordered the Lucario, as the hourglass ran out of sand, my eyes blazing red just as the earth beneath me crumbled and broke away. I slipped effortlessly from the grip the human had me in. As I fell back my eyes widened briefly.

The human twisted as things began to move in slow motion, rocketing a hand out to grab me as he screamed, "No!" I reached a paw out knowing it wouldn't reach, I had already fallen to far, hope though surged through me, but acceptance washed it out completely as my brain registered this was where I would breathe my last.

My last sight before the mud crashed in on me was of the Ranger fruitlessly reaching toward me, brown hair matted with mud, his face contorted in horror and anguish, tears falling down from sapphire eyes, following me.

Then there was mud and pain and the burning of no air. I fought against the flowing earth but couldn't move except where it moved me. Several seconds of panic set in before I knew no other conscious thing.

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><p>Wow what an ending huh? Hope you all enjoyed reading and please review.<p>

As always Kitsune of the night sky has this stories companion Blame: The Rangers Story. I Suggest reading it if you want a better picture of events. Tyth is rather biased after all.

Thanks so much, see you in the next chapter, which "should" be out in October... "should". Please don't quote me.


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